Mississippi getaway suspect, 22, who ‘killed a reverend’ after daring escape, is shot dead during police standoff: Police hunt three more escapees
- Dylan Arrington, 22, was shot dead during the confrontation after police followed him to a house where he had barricaded himself. The house later caught fire
One of four men who made a daring escape from a Mississippi jail and allegedly killed a pastor hours later has been killed in a police standoff.
Dylan Arrington, 22, was shot dead during the confrontation after police tracked him down to a house where he had barricaded himself. The property caught fire shortly after the police standoff in Leake County, Mississippi.
He was one of the inmates – along with Casey Grayson, 24, Gorey Harrison, 22, and Jerry Raynes – who escaped from Raymond Detention Center on Saturday. Police are still looking for the three other escapees.
Arrington was also suspected of killing 61-year-old Reverend Anthony Watts on Monday after his daring escape from prison. Watts pulled over to help a crashed motorcyclist, but the vehicle was stolen moments before.
Police say Arrington shot the Good Samaritan and then drove off in his truck.
Dylan Arrington, 22, was shot dead after confronting police. He escaped from Raymond Detention Center on Saturday, before reportedly shooting and killing Pastor Anthony Watts on Monday evening. He has now been shot dead by the police
The Raymond Detention Center in Mississippi where four inmates escaped
During the shooting with police on Wednesday, Arrington allegedly shot a deputy sheriff before being hit himself. It’s not clear how the house went up in flames.
Hinds County Sheriff Tyree Jones said Wednesday: “We have a pretty strong feeling that he died in this residence.”
Leake County Sheriff Randy Atkinson said that after police followed him to the home, a deputy sheriff controlling the property came running out of the residence shouting that Arrington was indeed inside.
“Then the person started firing from inside the residence and shot my deputy,” Atkinson confirmed.
The shot deputy is in the hospital, but is said to be in stable condition.
The four inmates escaped from jail on Saturday through cell and roof break-ins — and it wasn’t until 12:30 a.m. Sunday that officials realized they were missing.
Arrington was originally in prison on auto theft and gun possession charges.
His alleged murder of Watts, who was the pastor of St. Mary’s Missionary Baptist Church in D’Lo, Mississippi, occurred at 7 p.m. Monday.
In July, a federal judge ordered a rare takeover of the prison after saying deficiencies in oversight and staffing led to “a stunning series of attacks and deaths.”
In December, the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals suspended that order after the county filed a request for reconsideration.
Hinds County Sheriff Tyree Jones said in a statement: ‘We are actively and aggressively seeking these individuals and hope to have them back in custody soon.
“We are seeking the help of other agencies, including our federal partners, to get them back into custody as soon as possible.”
He warned the public, “Be extra careful, watch out for anything that looks suspicious.”
On Wednesday morning, the three other prisoners were still at large. All were in prison on various felonies, most of them involving theft.