Murder suspect caught days after escaping Fresno police headquarters through window, police say
A 21-year-old man accused of murder was caught Thursday nearly a week after he climbed through a window and escaped Fresno police headquarters, police said.
Ibn Lugman Haqq was still wearing a handcuff around his wrist from his escape when authorities found him about 5:30 a.m. in a Sacramento neighborhood, Fresno Police Lt. Mark Hudson said.
Haqq and his wife, Elvisha Davis, were immediately taken into custody, the lieutenant said.
Haqq escaped July 7, hours after he was taken into custody in connection with the fatal shooting of a 41-year-old Fresno man, authorities said. In that case, police said, Delon Agee was shot multiple times on July 5 and died at a hospital.
After his arrest, homicide detectives took Haqq to police headquarters, put him in an interrogation room and handcuffed one of his hands to a chair, authorities said.
The detectives walked out and left him alone, police said.
While alone, authorities said, Haqq managed to remove the handcuff from the chair.
He tried to make a clean getaway, but detectives spotted him and tried to restrain him, Dyer said.
Haqq fought back and used the handcuff, which was attached to his wrist, to hit the detectives, the Fresno Bee reported.
He broke free and made a beeline for a window in the interview room, Dyer said.
After climbing out, Haqq ran away. Officers chased him and searched the surrounding neighborhood, but did not find him.
“The desire for freedom is a tremendous motivator,” Dyer said.
The detectives involved in the scuffle suffered scrapes and bruises, Dyer said. One injured his arm and is wearing a brace.
Haqq’s escape triggered a personnel investigation and changes to the Police Department’s interview procedures, Dyer said.
“Had proper security measures been taken at the onset to secure Haqq in the interview room, he would not have been in a position to fight with the detectives and ultimately escape,” Dyer said.
New video and audio equipment was installed in interview rooms, as well as leg shackles that have been bolted to the walls, said Hudson, the department spokesman.
In the future, he said, police will also avoid using interview rooms with windows.
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UPDATES:
7:30 p.m.: This article was updated with details about the escape.
July 13, 8:35 a.m.: This article was updated with police saying Haqq had been caught.
This article was originally published at 3:25 p.m. July 12.
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