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Armed prisoner escapes custody in Virginia hospital Wossen Assaye: Police recapture escaped prisoner after nine-hour manhunt
(about 5 hours later)
A prisoner described as “armed and dangerous” is on the run after he overpowered an armed guard and took his gun. A prisoner described as "armed and dangerous" who fled a suburban hospital in Washington today has been recaptured after a nine-hour manhunt.
Police tweeted that a “prisoner in the custody of a private security guard has escaped from Fairfax Hospital armed with a gun” and said that there was at least one gun shot heard in hospital. Wossen Assaye, 42, who has been accused of robbing a bank, escaped from the Inova Fairfax Medical Campus in Falls Church, Virginia, at about 3am local time.
According to police it is still unclear whether anyone in the hospital was injured. During his escape, he overpowered a guard and took his weapon, the Fairfax County Police Department tweeted. The messaged added that at least one gun shot heard in hospital.
They said that the gun belonged to the guard who Assaye had overpowered.
In hospital and prisoner overpowered guard & took gun. 1 shot was fired. No one was injured. Suspect fled.In hospital and prisoner overpowered guard & took gun. 1 shot was fired. No one was injured. Suspect fled.
They said that a search is currently underway in the area for the prisoner is black, around 6ft tall and just wearing a short hospital gown and is without shoes.
Escaped prisoner’s name is Wossen Assaye. He is 6 ft tall & 170 pounds. Heavy police presence in area searching for him. Armed & dangerous.Escaped prisoner’s name is Wossen Assaye. He is 6 ft tall & 170 pounds. Heavy police presence in area searching for him. Armed & dangerous.
The police recently reported that Assaye is driving a stolen silver 2002 Toyota Camry with front end damage. No one was injured before Assaye fled wearing only a hospital gown, police have since confirmed.
It is possible that the prisoner may be with his girlfriend, who the police provided a picture of. The ensuing police manhunt saw Assaye allegedly steal two cars before he was seized in Washington.
Fairfax County Police spokesman Roger Henriquez told CBS News that a woman was driving a car before she discovered Assaye in the back seat.
Henriquez said that the car sustained heavy front-end damage, either during the woman's escape or when Assaye was driving.
Assaye is now in the custody of the city's police, Fairfax County Police said.
Police earlier believed that Assaye may have been with his girlfriend, who the police provided a picture of.
The escaped prisoner may be with his girlfriend pictured here. pic.twitter.com/Ccb6D5qsv8The escaped prisoner may be with his girlfriend pictured here. pic.twitter.com/Ccb6D5qsv8
Assaye was being held by Alexandria City on federal charges for armed bank robbery and was taken to hospital after he had attempted to self-harm.Assaye was being held by Alexandria City on federal charges for armed bank robbery and was taken to hospital after he had attempted to self-harm.
There is a large police presence in the hospital and access to the facility is currently completely restricted. Fairfax County ambulances are ferrying patients to other hospitals. While the manhunt was ongoing, Fairfax County ambulances were forced to ferry patients to other hospitals instead of the Inova Fairfax Medical Campus.
According to a worker at the hospital an emergency announcement came over a loud speaker that instructed patients to remain in their rooms.According to a worker at the hospital an emergency announcement came over a loud speaker that instructed patients to remain in their rooms.