Joshua Zimmerman, an inmate who escaped from the DeSoto County courthouse on June 14 and has been on the run since, is currently in a standoff with U.S. Marshals after being located in Chicago.
Officials with the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office told the media Tuesday night that Zimmerman has barricaded himself in a Chicago restaurant surrounded by U.S. Marshals. The 30-year-old escapee is alone in the restaurant and no civilians are at risk, Chief Deputy Justin Smith said. The situation was ongoing as of early Wednesday morning.
Zimmerman fled the courthouse while he was facing an attempted murder charge, in which he allegedly attacked an elderly man in Southaven who had hired him to work at his house. The initial pursuit was fruitless, and DeSoto County District Attorney Matthew Barton said that the escaped convict may have received help from the inside.
(Photo courtesy of the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office)
DeSoto County Sheriff Thomas Tuggle reported that Zimmerman was able to escape the courthouse after exploiting a flaw in the building’s design. He is said to have left the building, crossed the street, and hitched a ride with a stranger who was driving to Memphis, claiming he needed to get out of town after getting in a fight with his wife.
DA Barton also explained to the press in June that surveillance video of Zimmerman’s escape was wiped from the courthouse server by an unidentified employee.
The DeSoto County District Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Marshals each offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to Zimmerman’s arrest. The agencies were also assisted by famed bounty hunter and TV personality Duane Chapman, known as “Dog the Bounty Hunter.”
