A SECOND CONVICTED killer who escaped from a maximum security prison in New York has been shot and captured by police in the state, just miles from the Canadian border.
The three-week manhunt began when two convicted murderers staged a brazen prison break involving stolen power tools and hacksaw blades hidden in frozen hamburger meat.
It came to an end in a field near the border yesterday when David Sweat was shot and captured.
Sweat’s capture came two days after his fellow escapee, Richard Matt, was killed in a confrontation with law enforcement while holding a shotgun. Sweat was unarmed when he was shot twice by Sergeant Jay Cook as the fugitive ran for a tree line.
“If you were writing a movie plot, they would say that this was overdone,” Governor Andrew Cuomo said.
Cook, a 21-year veteran, was alone and on routine patrol when he stumbled upon Sweat in the northern New York town of Constable, about 30 miles northwest of the prison, and recognised him. He gave chase when Sweat fled and decided to fire upon fearing he would lose him in the trees, state police said.
“I can only assume he was going for the border,” Superintendent Joseph D’Amico said.
The arrest ended an ordeal that sent 1,300 law enforcement officers into the thickly forested northern reaches of New York and forced residents to tolerate nerve-wracking armed checkpoints and property searches.
“The nightmare is finally over,” Cuomo declared at a news conference.
Authorities said Sweat was struck in the torso and taken to a hospital in Malone before being transported to Albany Medical Center, which has a trauma center. Sweat, who was listed in critical condition, was being evaluated by a team of doctors including emergency medical physicians, trauma specialists and others who would determine whether surgery was necessary, Dr. Dennis McKenna said.
Sweat had not been formally interviewed by investigators as of late yesterday, but any information he provides could be critical to the investigation, Clinton County District Attorney Andrew Wylie said.
Sweat will be charged with escape, burglary and other charges, Wylie said. He and Matt are suspected of breaking into some of the region’s many cabins during their time on the lam. Wylie said prosecutors would wait for Sweat to recover before charging him.
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