Additional Coverage:
- Inmate who escaped courthouse in Mississippi holds authorities in standoff in Chicago (newsbreak.com)
A fugitive who had escaped custody in Mississippi was apprehended in Chicago after a dramatic standoff at a local restaurant. The incident unfolded as Joshua Zimmerman, who initially escaped during a court appearance in Hernando, Mississippi on June 14, was located and detained by authorities.
According to reports from Memphis-based CBS affiliate WREG-TV, Zimmerman had managed to flee the DeSoto County Courthouse by changing out of his jail attire into civilian clothes and slipping unnoticed through an unguarded exit. Since his escape, multiple law enforcement agencies, including the U.S. Marshals Service, had been on his trail.
Zimmerman had initially been facing charges of attempted murder and armed robbery from a prior incident in Southaven, Mississippi, where he allegedly attacked an elderly man who had employed him. These serious allegations were further compounded by additional charges looming in Houston, where he was implicated in a fatal shooting at a motel, as per WREG’s reports.
The search for Zimmerman came to a head when law enforcement tracked him to Seafood Junction on the West Side of Chicago, located near significant city landmarks and barely half a mile from the bustling Democratic National Convention. Unbeknownst to many, Zimmerman had been employed at the restaurant, where during the arrest operation, he attempted to hide in the ceiling, resulting in a temporary barricade.
Confusion and surprise surrounded Zimmerman’s employment at Seafood Junction, with locals expressing dismay over the lack of thorough background checks. As CBS News Chicago revealed, a video had circulated, featuring Zimmerman inside Seafood Junction earlier that month, raising further questions about his movements and activities while on the run.
The arrest was carried out Wednesday morning, drawing to a close a significant manhunt while leaving open questions about the broader circumstances of Zimmerman’s escape, his life in Chicago, and the effectiveness of background checks for employees in sensitive positions. Meanwhile, Zimmerman also awaits further legal proceedings concerning the murder charge in Houston.