Politics

Texas police fatally shoot fugitive Fla. prisoner

GRAPEVINE, Texas (AP) — The Florida prisoner who escaped in Texas after stabbing a detective with his eyeglasses was fatally shot early Saturday after refusing to cooperate with officers and lunging at them, police said.

Alberto Morales was shot in a wooded area of Grapevine, a community near the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. It put an end to a massive five-day manhunt that started when he escaped Monday from a Wal-Mart parking lot after attacking the Miami-Dade, Fla., detective.

Grapevine police Sgt. Robert Eberling said at a Saturday news conference that officers instructed Morales to lie on the ground and show his hands, but he rushed toward them. Morales, 42, was unarmed at the time of the shooting and was not wearing handcuffs. He was holding some sticks, Eberling said.

"He was very skilled and crafty as far as making makeshift edged weapons inside the prison. That was in the forethoughts of the officers. He was able to almost kill an officer with some eyeglasses," Eberling added.

Police said Morales used a sharp piece from his eyeglasses to stab Miami-Dade Detective Jaime Pardinas, who was transferring him by car to Nevada, where Morales was to serve a sentence of 30 years to life after being convicted of a sexual assault.

Pardinas was treated at a Dallas hospital for deep stab wounds to the neck, shoulder and back and a collapsed lung. Parkland Memorial Hospital spokeswoman April Foran said Pardinas was released Saturday.

Two hours before Morales was shot, officers responded to a report that jewelry and men's clothing had been stolen during a break-in at a nearby home. Eberling said Morales was still wearing part of his prison-issued jumpsuit as well as jogging pants, but couldn't comment on whether the stolen clothing and jewelry were found with him.

Pardinas was accompanied by Miami-Dade Detective David Carrero during the transfer. They flew to Houston with Morales and then decided to drive the rest of the way after he became disruptive on the flight. They had stopped near the store while waiting for a third officer who was flying to the Dallas area to join them. Department policy requires three officers to be present for ground transfers of prisoners.

On a recording of a 911 call of the incident released Wednesday, Pardinas can be heard breathing heavily as he tells the operator that he's been stabbed. He described Morales' height, weight and appearance and then added, "He's a schizophrenic."

Miami-Dade Police Department director J.D. Patterson commended Pardinas in an emailed statement Saturday and thanked the law enforcement agencies that took part in the manhunt. "To the victims who suffered at the hands of this diabolical individual, may you now have peace knowing that he will not be able to hurt you or anyone else again," Patterson said.

Eberling said investigators believe Morales had been planning his escape for some time.

Related Headlines

  • Escaped prisoner described as 'a schizophrenic'

    The Florida prisoner who stabbed a detective and escaped near Dallas while being transported to Nevada is "a schizophrenic" who vowed not to return to prison, according to ... 

  • 2 flee Texas jail, 1 faces capital murder charge

    Two inmates with long criminal histories — including one awaiting trial for capital murder — escaped an East Texas jail, dumped their black-and-white scrubs and were fleeing ... 

  • Juan Salaz

    Texas prison escapee caught after 16 years

    A Texas prison escapee on the run for almost 16 years has been captured by authorities in Mexico and awaits extradition to the U.S. to finish serving his sentence on charges ... 

  • Authorities: Escaped Texas inmates captured

    A foiled try to pawn stolen jewelry Thursday led officials to the hideout of two inmates who escaped from an East Texas jail, a sheriff said. Capital murder suspect Brian ... 

Find your future job here