In an unexpected turn of events, details have emerged about a fugitive who successfully managed a daring escape from police custody, right from a hospital in Washington, DC, with a handcuff still attached to his wrist.
The fugitive in question, 30-year-old Christopher Haynes, is under investigation for allegedly killing Brent Hayward, aged 33, a case that happened last month. Haynes had his first brush with arrest the past Wednesday when he was detained and conveyed to the Homicide Branch of the DC Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) for processing, according to the Acting Police Chief, Pamela Smith.
During processing, Haynes raised a complaint about an ankle injury, a condition he claimed was preexisting, subsequently facilitating his transportation to George Washington University Hospital for medical care.
In line with the usual protocol at the hospital, the handcuffs of suspects are taken off so that one hand may be securely handcuffed to a bed or gurney. The plot turned at this juncture when the officer attempted to remove one of the handcuffs. Haynes spotted the opportunity, wrestled free from the officer’s grasp and absconded the scene.
Despite the swift efforts of two officers to give chase, Haynes successfully evaded them and remains at large. His escape has set off a massive manhunt coordinated across various agencies. The public has also been appealed to assist with crucial information that could lead to his arrest.
Haynes, characterized Black, is said to have shoulder-length dreadlocks. A distinguishing feature includes his Washington Nationals tattoo prominently situated on his neck. He was last seen possibly wearing a black shirt, contrasted with gray shorts, one red shoe and the remnant black handcuff hanging onto his wrist.
The DC Metropolitan Police have extended a bounty of $25,000 that would be rewarded to anyone with substantial information culminating in the fugitive’s recapture. Described as potentially armed and dangerous according to a DC government emergency alert, the general public is urged to exercise caution where Haynes is concerned.
In the wake of Haynes’s daring hospital escape, a temporary “shelter in place order” was placed on George Washington University’s city campus, lasting roughly 20 minutes. Although there are no reports of anyone being harmed in the community, the university hospital’s standard operations are being maintained as they coordinate effectively with local authorities.
Various agencies, including the US Secret Service and the US Park Police, are assisting in the intensive manhunt. Meanwhile, the MPD’s Internal Affairs Bureau is currently investigating how Haynes could have possibly staged such an escape.
