MURPHY, N.C. (AP) – On Monday, a federal prisoner broke out of custody at a medical clinic in western North Carolina, shot and killed a detention officer with his own firearm, and then drove away in a stolen car before being apprehended in a different county, according to a sheriff.
A fight broke out when the prisoner was brought to an orthopedics practice in Murphy for unknown treatment. At a press conference, Cherokee County Sheriff Dustin Smith stated that the convict had taken the officer’s pistol and shot him. The prisoner dashed into the parking lot, hopped into a just arriving car, and drove off. According to Smith, the prisoner was later captured in Macon County, which is almost an hour to the east.
According to Smith, 48-year-old convict Kelvin Simmons will face first-degree murder charges.
Francisco Paul Flattes, 56, a four-year veteran of the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, was confirmed as the detaining officer. According to Smith, Flattes’ spouse is employed by the county jail facility as well.
According to the sheriff, another officer was recuperating from injuries unrelated to the incident.
Smith added, “I think this has been one of the worst days of my career.”
According to authorities, Macon County deputies were notified by emergency services in Clay County that the inmate was traveling to their county via U.S. Route 64. After a brief confrontation, Simmons’ car was pulled over and he was taken into custody. At the scene, no one was hurt.
Simmons was already being imprisoned on accusations of bank robbery and an escape in October 2024, according to Smith.
