Suspect handcuffed on the run after allegedly capturing Pennsylvania police officer Well being Information

By jimadmin On Dec 22, 2020

By: BILL HUTCHINSON, ABC News

(NEW YORK) – A massive search for a refugee, shown in a security video showing a Pennsylvania police officer being handcuffed three times, lasted until day two Monday when authorities warned the runaway suspect poses a threat to the community.

When police spread in a suburb of Pittsburgh looking for Koby Lee Francis, 22, authorities investigated how the suspect had the gun he used in the shooting, despite being arrested, searched and on the Rear of a police SUV patrol car had been placed.

Investigators also struggled to explain how Francis, who was handcuffed from behind while being detained on suspicion of violating a protection order, managed to put his handcuffed hands in front of him and ambush the police officer.

“We can only speculate,” said Coleman J. McDonough, superintendent of Allegheny County Police Department, during a news conference Monday when asked if he suspected the 6-foot-2-inch Francis had his body twisted so that he had his handcuffed hands in front of him while being driven to a police station. “He’s not the first to do this. It happens.”

McDonough identified the wounded officer as Gerasimos “Jerry” Athans, 32, a four-year veteran with the McKeesport, Pennsylvania Police Department. Athans was in stable condition on Monday at the UPMC Presbyterian Hospital in Pittsburgh, where he is being treated for gunshot wounds to his neck and shoulder.

“We are very excited that he can spend Christmas with his family and not with a very tragic event,” said McDonough.

During the press conference, McDonough played a security video of the shooting that took place outside the McKeesport Police Department shortly after 4 p.m. on Sunday.

The footage shows Athans getting out of the patrol car and walking to the rear passenger door. Gunshots rang out as soon as he opened the door and Athans turned as he stumbled to cover the vehicle. Francis emerges from the vehicle and shoots at least one more shot at Athans, who has drawn his gun and returned fire.

McDonough said Athan emptied his gun, but there was no evidence that Francis was hit running from the scene.

After the exchange of fire, the Athan aired a police chief that he had been shot and the armed suspect was on the run and still handcuffed, McDonough said.

“We can easily see from the video that this is an armed subject that is obviously dangerous. He still escaped armed,” said McDonough. “There is a danger to the community.” We want it to end right here. We want this to be the last damage this person will do. “

He begged anyone with information about Francis’ whereabouts to contact the police immediately.

“We strongly encourage him to come forward so he can be tried,” said McDonough, adding that Francis will be charged with attempted murder, escape, aggravated assault and violation of the Uniform Firearms Act.

McDonough said Francis went to the McKeesport Police Department the previous Sunday for a warrant. He alleged that Francis angrily left the police and, in violation of the protection order, went to pick up his young son.

Police were called to the Harrison Village public housing complex in McKeesport at around 3:55 p.m. Sunday after Francis was accused of going there, McDonough said. When the officers arrived, Francis was already gone.

A short time later, police responded to another phone call claiming Francis had again violated the protection order at another public housing complex in McKeesport, McDonough said.

He said when Athaner and another officer arrived, they found Francis at the location in his parked car and took him into custody.

“It was obviously searched,” McDonough said of Francis.

He said while officers grabbed a gun from Francis’ car, they could not find the gun the suspect had hidden on top of him.

McDonough said investigators had checked the surveillance video and confirmed that Francis was placed on the back of Athan’s patrol car with his hands tied.

When asked how the officers failed to find the gun on Francis, McDonough will leave the answer to that question for an internal investigation by the McKeesport Police Department.

“That’s not our priority here,” said McDonough. “Our priority is to bring Mr. Francis to justice.”