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Tuesday afternoon a violent fugitive,
wanted on outstanding Fulton County charges for aggravated assault
on an officer with a firearm, was arrested by investigators from the
U.S. Marshal’s Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force.
Investigators believe that on the night of October 14, 2006, Derrico
Lamar Thomas, 23, fired a handgun into the back of a Fulton County
Deputy Sheriff. The round struck the officer in the back and
fortunately failed to penetrate his body armor.
Investigators from the U.S. Marshal’s Southeast Regional Fugitive
Task Force, the Fulton County Sheriff’s Fugitive Squad and the
Atlanta Police Department’s Fugitive Squad have been working
together on the investigation since the shooting occurred.
This afternoon after an extensive surveillance, investigators were
able to locate Thomas in an apartment on Myrtle Dr in Atlanta, GA.
At approximately 11:45a.m., investigators surrounded the residence
at which time Thomas attempted to flee out the rear door where he
was immediately taken into custody without incident. After his
arrest, Thomas was transported to the Fulton County Jail for
holding.
Thomas has a criminal history that includes arrests for assault,
obstruction and narcotics.
Additionally, USMS Regional Chief Inspector John “Buck” Smith stated
that; “It is very important to capture those who assault law
enforcement officers; as anyone who would shoot a police officer in
such a cowardly way is potentially very dangerous to the citizens of
Atlanta.”
The Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force (SERFTF) is a team
comprised of law enforcement officers from the United States
Marshal, as well as, 27 other local, state, and federal agencies.
The task force’s objective is to seek out and arrest the region’s
most violent offenders. Since the inception of the task force in
September of 2003, the SERFTF has closed over 9,000 felony warrants.
Annually, more fugitives are arrested by U.S. Marshals than all
other federal agencies combined.
Additional information about the U.S. Marshals can be found at
http://www.usmarshals.gov . |
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