Leon Ruffin: Manhunt ensues as Louisiana inmate pepper sprays deputy, flees in stolen patrol car
LOUISIANA: Convicted felon Leon Ruffin executed a jaw-dropping escape on Sunday, February 25, propelling authorities into a relentless manhunt across Louisiana.
Ruffin, held in custody on a second-degree murder charge, made a daring getaway after pepper-spraying his transporting deputy and making off with her patrol car.
Leon Ruffin's daring escape emerges during medical transfer
The dramatic escape unfolded when Ruffin, being transferred from a medical facility to a local hospital due to a possible seizure, now suspected of feigning his injuries, seized the opportunity to create chaos.
Following medical treatment, the convict caused a disturbance as he was being driven out of the hospital parking lot.
Leon Ruffin pepper-sprayed deputy, escaped in her patrol car
As Ruffin's escape plan unfolded, a female deputy fell victim to his audacious actions. As the deputy approached him, the convict, in a calculated move, pepper-sprayed the officer, forcing her out of the vehicle, as per ABC.
Seizing the moment, he commandeered the patrol car and fled the scene. Authorities, now grappling with a dangerous fugitive on the loose, remain uncertain about the origin of the pepper spray used in the escape. Remarkably, the deputy retained her pepper spray, taser, and weapon despite the daring breach.
Firing shots in an attempt to thwart the fleeing felon, the deputy is uncertain whether Ruffin was hit. In the wake of the escape, authorities have promptly engaged the victim's family of the suspect's alleged second-degree murder case.
Manhunt underway after three teens escape Oregon correctional facility
In a parallel incident, three 19-year-old individuals—Angel Diaz-Barrera, Julian Diaz-Navarro, and Xavier Swimm—are currently at large after they escaped from the MacLaren Youth Correctional Facility in Woodburn on the night of Sunday, February 18, according to the Oregon Youth Authority.
Details on how the teenagers, hailing from Salem (Diaz-Barrera and Diaz-Navarro) and Portland (Swimm), managed to break free from the state's largest youth prison have not been disclosed by the agency. These young men were adjudicated for various violent offenses, including robbery, assault, and harassment, committed before reaching the age of 18 in Marion County and Multnomah County, reported MEAWW.
Adjudications serve as the juvenile equivalent of a criminal conviction, allowing the Oregon Youth Authority to detain individuals until they reach the age of 25, as reported by Salemreporter. Warrants for their arrest have been issued.
The public is urged to report any sightings by calling 911. Individuals with information on their whereabouts are requested to contact the Oregon State Police at 503-375-3555, referencing case number SP 24-054230.
