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Left: Kelvin Simmons (Buncombe County Sheriff's Office) Right: Francisco Flattes (Cherokee County Sheriff's Office)
A chaotic and tragic country unfolded this week erstwhile a federal inmate stole a jailhouse officer's gun, shot and killed him with it, hijacked a adjacent conveyance and led instrumentality enforcement connected a several-county-wide chase, authorities say.
Kelvin Simmons, 48, was brought to an orthopedic session successful Cherokee County, North Carolina, connected Monday by Cherokee County Detention Officers Francisco Flattes and George Fienauer for an undisclosed aesculapian treatment.
At immoderate constituent during the visit, Simmons "overpowered" the officers, stole Flattes' gun, and changeable him with it, Cherokee County Sheriff Dustin Smith said.
"After the shooting, Simmons fled into the session parking batch and commandeered a conveyance that had conscionable arrived connected the scene," the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office announced.
The suspect past led deputies and the North Carolina Highway Patrol connected a agelong pursuit eastbound done Clay County into Macon County, wherever helium was yet stopped astir an hr away, according to instrumentality enforcement.
"Following a little standoff, Simmons was taken into custody by Macon County Sheriff's Office," the sheriff's bureau said.
Flattes, 56, died from his wounds. Smith said Simmons volition beryllium charged with first-degree murder. Fienauer, the different officer, reportedly sustained injuries successful the altercation, too, but not from gunshots.
"This is the hardest time of my career, we are each mourning the nonaccomplishment of Francisco and doing everything we tin to enactment each different and the household and loved ones of Officer Flattes," Smith added.
Simmons was already successful jailhouse connected slope robbery charges, the sheriff noted, adding the fishy was besides awaiting charges for a erstwhile flight effort past October. Further charges successful summation to first-degree execution are expected to beryllium filed soon.
A 911 telephone astatine the clip of the "violent altercation" connected Monday provides immoderate penetration into what happened.
An unidentified caller astatine the aesculapian installation told the 911 relation successful a astir six-minute telephone that a diligent had a gun, according to Asheville-based ABC affiliate WLOS.
"He's shooting disconnected successful the lobby?" the relation asked, to which the caller replied successful the affirmative.
"He's got a hostage!" the caller added a abbreviated clip after, reportedly identifying Simmons arsenic the diligent wearing a grey jumpsuit.
When Simmons allegedly escaped from the building, the caller said helium appeared to beryllium approaching a vehicle.
"He's robbing her!" the caller exclaimed. "He's getting successful a Chevy — a achromatic Chevy car."
Flattes' woman besides works for the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office. He leaves down her, his children, and galore grandchildren, authorities said.
Cherokee County is the westernmost region successful North Carolina, bordering Tennessee. It has a colonisation of conscionable astir 30,000 people.
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