US Marshals: Escaped Mississippi inmate had been working at Chicago restaurant when he got in 15-hour standoff with agents

Officials with the US Marshals Service report that an inmate who escaped from a Mississippi courthouse in June was working at the restaurant where he barricaded himself for more than 15 hours Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.

Joshua Zimmerman, who escaped from the DeSoto County Courthouse in Hernando, Mississippi, on June 14, has been apprehended in Chicago after a two-month manhunt. Zimmerman had been scheduled for a court hearing on the day of his escape, but he managed to flee, prompting a nationwide search.

Zimmerman was discovered at a seafood restaurant in Chicago on Tuesday afternoon, according to Justin Smith, chief deputy of the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office. The U.S. Marshals Service, which had been tracking Zimmerman, notified local authorities of his whereabouts. When they attempted to arrest him, Zimmerman retreated into the ceiling of the restaurant and barricaded himself.

Zimmerman had been working at the restaurant while evading capture. He was finally taken into custody on Wednesday morning. The U.S. Marshals Service confirmed that the location of his arrest was near the United Center, where the Democratic National Convention was being held, but emphasized there was no connection or threat to the event.

Zimmerman is wanted for multiple charges, including homicide in Texas, escape in DeSoto County, Mississippi, and absconding in Connecticut. His capture ends a manhunt that spanned several states and more than 500 miles from the site of his escape.