Suspect Accused of Shooting Pennsylvania Officer Arrested, Ending 9-Day Manhunt

Lorenz Duchamps
By Lorenz Duchamps
December 30, 2020US News
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Suspect Accused of Shooting Pennsylvania Officer Arrested, Ending 9-Day Manhunt
Koby Lee Francis, 22, in a booking photo. (Allegheny County Police Department via Twitter)

A suspect seen on video earlier this month firing multiple rounds at a Pennsylvania-area police officer while handcuffed inside a police vehicle was arrested out of state on Tuesday, authorities said.

Koby Francis was taken into custody by U.S. Marshalls and Mountain State Fugitive Task Force officials at about 6 p.m. at a Clarksburg, West Virginia, apartment complex, the Allegheny County Police Department (ACPD) said in an updated news release.

Multiple agencies helped to search for 22-year-old Francis in a manhunt that lasted nine days, prompted after he allegedly shot 32-year-old McKeesport Police Department Officer Gerasimos Athans on Dec. 20 outside a police station.

In the security footage, Athans can be seen opening the door for the suspect to bring him into the police station after he was arrested earlier in the day for illegally possessing a firearm, police said.

Francis was searched at the time he was taken into custody but was able to hide a weapon which he allegedly used to fire several rounds at Athans.

Athans was struck three times by the gunfire, once in his neck and twice in the shoulder. Police said Athans also returned fire as Francis ran away. It is unclear if he was hit in the exchange of gunfire.

The injured officer was taken to a nearby hospital and has since been released, Fox News reported.

Francis is facing charges of criminal attempt homicide, aggravated assault, flight to avoid apprehension, trial, or punishment, escape, and firearms violations in connection with the shooting, according to a police statement.

He will remain at the North Central Regional Jail and Correctional Facility in Doddridge County while awaiting extradition to Pennsylvania, police said.

“City of McKeesport Police Department would like to thank all agencies who assisted our department,” the department said in a statement announcing the suspect’s arrest.

While the manhunt for Francis was still ongoing, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, in conjunction with the ACPD, offered a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to the suspect’s whereabouts.

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