Escaped Mississippi murder suspect arrested at Chicago restaurant after hours-long standoff with police
Mississippi murder suspect barricaded in Chicago restaurant
A man suspected of murder in Mississippi barricaded himself in a restaurant on Chicago's West Side Tuesday afternoon. SWAT surrounded the Seafood Junction Fresh Market on the Near West Side overnight.
CHICAGO - A murder suspect who escaped from a Mississippi courthouse was arrested at a restaurant on Chicago's Near West Side, blocks from the Democratic National Convention, after an hours-long standoff with police.
The U.S. Marshals Service said Joshua Zimmerman was taken into custody Wednesday morning after being holed up inside the Seafood Junction on Madison and Western, located about a half-mile from the United Center, where the convention is being held.
On Thursday, the U.S. Marshals Service said Zimmerman was charged with being a fugitive from justice. He will appear in court on Thursday.
He has been wanted by the U.S. Marshals Service since his escape in June and was spotted Tuesday at the restaurant, according to Justin Smith, chief deputy with the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office in Mississippi.
The U.S. Marshals Service said Zimmerman escaped from the circuit court building in Hernando, Mississippi, where he was being held on attempted murder and armed robbery charges. He was also awaiting extradition to Houston, Texas, where he’s been charged with murder, the Marshals Service said.
Murder suspect continues hours-long standoff with Chicago police
Joshua Zimmerman escaped from a Mississippi courthouse and made his way to Chicago where he's been in a standoff with police and SWAT Tuesday afternoon.
Zimmerman was believed to be working at the seafood restaurant, according to the Marshals Service. When local officials went to check on the lead at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Zimmerman hid in the ceiling and barricaded himself.
Smith said that authorities want to bring him back to Mississippi and "gather the remaining facts surrounding his escape."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.