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Background: Mike Thomas arrested by Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office deputies (Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office) Inset: Mike Thomas (Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office)
After a manhunt spanning two Southeastern states, a murder suspect has been arrested, but not before allegedly trying to steal a tractor trailer to evade law enforcement.
Mike Thomas, 28, was wanted in Fulton County, Georgia, for shooting his girlfriend in the face, police said, according to Atlanta-based ABC outlet WSB. It is unclear whether she died and if her shooting prompted the murder investigation.
Law&Crime has reached out to the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office for clarification.
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Thomas is said to have fled into Conecuh County, Alabama, and then Baldwin County, where Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) officers caught up with him. It was during this chase, on Sunday, May 18, where Thomas shot at pursuing officers, deputies said.
The suspect’s vehicle was stopped with spikes laid down by law enforcement, but he reportedly got out of his vehicle and ran toward a tractor trailer, attempting to steal it. A passenger in the truck is said to have shot at him, hitting him in the leg, and the defendant ran away into a nearby wooded area.
The sheriff’s office called in a SWAT team, as well as an air unit and tracking dogs, to help detain Thomas.
“This is a shining example of how agency cooperation and teamwork leads to a successful outcome,” BCSO said.
Thomas has been charged with two counts of robbery and one count of assault in Alabama, according to Mobile-based Fox affiliate WALA. He also reportedly faces several charges in Georgia, including aggravated assault and possession of a weapon as a convicted felon.
The suspect was reportedly taken to a hospital for medical evaluation for his gunshot wound to the leg, and once released, he was taken to jail.
