Murder suspect captured seven weeks after escape from hospital

Fugitive Christopher Haynes, 30, was tracked down by a police helicopter in Maryland

A murder suspect who escaped from police officers guarding him at a hospital has been recaptured after seven weeks on the run.

Fugitive Christopher Haynes, 30, was tracked down by a police helicopter in Maryland on Thursday after his September escape from George Washington University.

He was arrested for the escape and the August 2023 murder of 33-year-old Brent Hayward.

The suspect was taken to the hospital on 6 September complaining of ankle pain following his initial arrest in connection with a double shooting in Washington DC in August.

Officials say that he attacked the officers escorting him and escaped as they were trying to handcuff him to a gurney.

Hayward’s mother told WTOP she was relieved that Haynes had been found.

“A weight has been lifted. It’s a weight off me. It’s a weight off my family. We were losing confidence in the federal government that they would catch him,” Shelia Jackson said.

Fugitive Christopher Haynes, 30, was located by a police helicopter in Maryland on Thursday after his September escape from George Washington University (FOX5DC)

“My confidence is back in our police system, our police force,” added Ms Jackson. “Other people could have gotten hurt.”

Mr Haynes has a previous history of assaulting police officers, reported FOX 5.

In September 2020, he was accused of trying to strike three Prince William County police officers with his vehicle. He pleaded guilty to three counts of attempted malicious wounding on law enforcement officers.

He was sentenced to two years in prison with all but seven months suspended and received two years of probation.