Who is Christopher Haynes? Murder suspect who escaped police custody recaptured after 7 weeks on the run
WASHINGTON, DC: A murder suspect who escaped police custody on September 6, has been recaptured on Thursday, October 26, in Washington DC, after seven weeks on the run, Washington police said.
In a press release, the US Marshalls said that Christopher Patrick Haynes, 30, was taken into custody by the US Marshals Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force at approximately 10.30 am local time off of Iverson Street in Oxon Hill.
Christopher Haynes 'will be charged with the escape'
Washington DC’s Metropolitan Police Department said in a statement that Haynes was captured with the help of its MPD Falcon 1 helicopter.
After his capture, police said that he was taken to the Homicide Branch “where he will be charged with the escape” in addition to the “August 2023 murder of Brent Hayward.”
Police said in the statement that Haynes was arrested in Manassas, Virginia, on September 6 in connection with the murder of Brent Hayward on August 12, in accordance with a DC Superior Court Arrest warrant.
According to the authorities, Haynes was later transported to George Washington Hospital after he “complained of ankle pain from a pre-existing injury” while being processed.
ALERT: 31-year-old Christopher Haynes escaped custody at GW Hospital in 900 block of 23rd St NW at 3:38 p.m.
— DC Police Department (@DCPoliceDept) September 6, 2023
He is described as a black male with shoulder-length dreadlocks, wearing a white suit with one red shoe. He is not handcuffed.
Do not engage, call 911 if spotted. pic.twitter.com/gFgPwJfXp4
How did Christopher Haynes escape police custody?
While at the hospital, an officer tried to change his handcuffs while cuffing one of his hands to a gurney when Haynes “physically assaulted” the officer and “fled from the hospital with one handcuff still attached to his right wrist,” as per the statement.
Police said two officers who had been with Haynes at the time tried to chase him but were unable to catch him.
After his escape, the Metropolitan Police Department issued a public alert on social media that Haynes had escaped custody from George Washington Hospital at around 3.38 pm.
Secret Service spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, that they placed “temporary, precautionary closures” as well as “support units in the area” around the White House which was located less than a mile from the hospital where Haynes escaped.
According to NBC News, George Washington University also said it had canceled all in-person classes, events and other activities as a precaution.
Area law enforcement including Secret Service Uniformed Division are assisting with this. There are temporary, precautionary closures around the 1600 block of Pennsylvania Ave & support units in the area. MPDC is leading this effort & public can follow @DCPoliceDept for updates. https://t.co/ltaVpLYpTg
— Anthony Guglielmi (@SecretSvcSpox) September 6, 2023
Why did it take so long for the authorities to find Christopher Haynes?
During a press conference on Thursday, October 26, on Haynes’ recapture shared by DC News Now, Commander Don Snyder with the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Taskforce said that the reason why it took them some time to find him was because “we basically had to reestablish the investigation from the start.”
He added that Haynes had also been “taking evasive actions to avoid capture.”
Haynes has also previously been accused of assaulting officers. In September 2020, he allegedly tried to strike three Prince William County police officers with his vehicle and pleaded guilty to three counts of attempted malicious wounding on law enforcement officers, as per Fox 5 News.
