An hours-long manhunt in Houston, Texas, has come to an end after authorities successfully apprehended an inmate who escaped during transport from a court appearance. The escapee, Nigel Thomas Sanders, aged 35, was taken into custody around 3 a.m. on Friday, nearly 12 hours after his escape occurred at approximately 3:30 p.m. the previous day. The Harris County Sheriff's Office confirmed the news on social media.
Sanders, who was in custody for three burglaries and one unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon, managed to escape while being transported back to the jail. Harris County Chief Phillip Bosquez revealed during a news briefing that Sanders appeared to have facilitated his escape on the way back from court.
During his escape, Sanders reportedly accosted a woman and attempted to flee in her car. However, the woman crashed the vehicle just a few feet away, causing it to become disabled. Subsequently, the suspect fled the scene on foot, and that was the last time he was sighted by the authorities.
The University of Houston Downtown was placed on lockdown as a precautionary measure during the search for Sanders. However, the lockdown was later lifted, and an all-clear was issued. The police had warned the public to stay indoors and secure their surroundings during the search.
Bosquez mentioned that Sanders was believed to be armed with a knife during his escape, although further details were not confirmed at the time. The Harris County Sheriff's Office is expected to provide an update on Sanders' apprehension at 5 a.m. CT on Friday.
