Tennessee Highway Patrol Captain Discusses How Five Alabama Escapees Were Caught
STEPHEN FRAZIER, CNN ANCHOR: A 10-mile perimeter around the rural Tennessee area. This is the same area where five of six prison escaped Alabama prison inmates were captured earlier today. Those six broke out of a maximum security facility near Pell City, Alabama, Tuesday night, and now we can tell you the police cornered five of them in Bucksnort, Tennessee, about 50 miles west of Nashville. But officers are still trying to find the last one, convicted killer Gary Scott. So joining us on the phone to tell us about that is Mark Fagan from the Tennessee Highway Patrol. Mr. Fagan, we understand you're at the command post now, is that correct?</s>MARK FAGAN, TENNESSEE HIGHWAY PATROL: Yes, sir, that's correct.</s>FRAZIER: Now, what is happening at this hour?</s>FAGAN: We're still continuing our search for the last remaining suspect who's at large, Gary Ray (ph) Scott. We have several K-9 units in the field, we have helicopters and the fixed-wing aircraft coordinating with multiagency search for this last remaining escapee.</s>FRAZIER: And what are you looking through? Are these suburban neighborhood, or is this rugged terrain?</s>FAGAN: No, this is rural, wooded area.</s>FRAZIER: And Mr. Scott -- do you consider him dangerous?</s>FAGAN: Absolutely, he was doing life without parole for capital murder and we're taking every precaution with our search units.</s>FRAZIER: Any late information on how he might be moving about?</s>FAGAN: No, we feel like we still have him contained within the perimeter. The other five suspects were caught within a one-mile radius of the original point of escape from the deputy, and we feel like he's still near it.</s>FRAZIER: This perimeter sounds a little bit antiseptic as we describe it. Do you mean that you've got a circle of officers and you're tightening up on area?</s>FAGAN: We have road blocks, roving patrols K-9. We also -- one is bordered by a river, so we feel confident that we have him contained and hopefully will apprehend him.</s>FRAZIER: Give us a sense of what might happen when you do come across him, based on what happened with the earlier five. I mean, was there a struggle, was there a shooting, what was it like?</s>FAGAN: No, taken into custody without incident. One was attempted to hide; the others basically were wet and cold. None of them were armed. But of course, this -- this is a dangerous situation. This gentlemen is -- to use the term loosely is doing life without parole for capital murder -- so we will take no chances.</s>FRAZIER: And should we infer from what you've said so far -- was he the one actually leading them this far? Do we know anything about who shaped up as the driving force?</s>FAGAN: No, I can't comment on anything like that. And like I said, they were obviously traveling as a group and remained together, obviously, since their escape.</s>FRAZIER: And we learned earlier that the five who have been captured are with the FBI now. Where is that, and is that yielding any information that's of value to you and the searchers.</s>FAGAN: The FBI has transported those five individuals to the metropolitan Nashville area for the detention and other than that I can't comment.</s>FRAZIER: It would kind of valuable to have them close by to the searchers?</s>FAGAN: Yes, absolutely.</s>FRAZIER: But they're 50 miles away now of they're in Nashville.</s>FAGAN: Yes.</s>FRAZIER: And one last question: Do you have any word from citizens since about -- it was about 1:30 this morning that you last heard from a citizen and a sighting.</s>FAGAN: We're checking out all reports. We've had several calls -- barking dogs, suspicion persons -- every lead is being checked.</s>FRAZIER: And do you have any sense of how they got this far from Alabama?</s>FAGAN: No, sir, I cannot speculate on that. A hidden county sheriff's deputy was doing a routine check on a vehicle shortly after 1:00 a.m. local time. All occupants of the vehicle fled upon approach of the deputy. A subsequent check of the registration of the car revealed that it was involved in the escape out of Alabama, and we quickly put together a multiagency manhunt. And that's where we stand at this time.</s>FRAZIER: And as we leave you, Mr. Fagan, with one last question: What are you telling people who live in that area?</s>FAGAN: The people in this area are -- there is a correctional institution within the immediate vicinity, so any time that they see blue lights or hear sirens, they go into what they call an escape mode. They're aware of the potential for danger. But we are making contact with all the residents, house by house, and advising them of the situation, and asking them to keep their doors locked and to advise us of any suspicions activity.</s>FRAZIER: Mr. Fagan, thank you for joining us. Mark Fagan telling us all this, from the Tennessee Highway Patrol.