Skip to main content
Tags: virginia | hospital | armed | prisoner | washington

Armed Prisoner Captured in Washington After Fleeing Virginia Hospital

Tuesday, 31 March 2015 12:36 PM EDT

An armed prisoner who fled a suburban Washington hospital with a guard's gun on Tuesday was recaptured in the U.S. capital after a nine-hour manhunt, police said.

The prisoner, accused bank robber Wossen Assaye, 42, broke free from a private security guard at the Inova Fairfax Medical Campus in Falls Church, Virginia, at about 3 a.m. and fled with the guard's weapon, the Fairfax County Police Department said on its Twitter account.

Assaye stole two cars during a manhunt by local, state and federal authorities. He was recaptured in Washington and is in the custody of the city police, Fairfax County Police said.

Assaye had been held by the nearby city of Alexandria and was taken to the hospital about 15 miles (24 km) west of Washington on Friday after he tried to harm himself, according to police.

While at the hospital, Assaye overpowered the guard early on Tuesday and took his gun, police said. One shot was fired, but no one was injured before Assaye fled wearing only a hospital gown, police said.

Assaye is charged with the March 20 robbery of the Apple Federal Credit Union in Alexandria. An affidavit in U.S. District Court said he fled the bank on a bicycle with about $1,800.

A man matching Assaye's description is suspected in 11 other bank robberies in northern Virginia. Assaye, who is on probation, was in prison from 2000 to 2013 for burglary and robbery convictions, the affidavit said.

Fairfax County Police spokesman Roger Henriquez told CBS News that the first vehicle stolen by Assaye had been driven by a woman who discovered him in the back seat.

Henriquez said that either during the woman's escape or when Assaye was driving, the car sustained heavy front-end damage.

 

© 2026 Thomson/Reuters. All rights reserved.


US
An armed prisoner who fled a suburban Washington hospital with a guard's gun on Tuesday was recaptured in the U.S. capital after a nine-hour manhunt, police said.
virginia, hospital, armed, prisoner, washington
290
2015-36-31
Tuesday, 31 March 2015 12:36 PM
Newsmax Media, Inc.

Sign up for Newsmax’s Daily Newsletter

Receive breaking news and original analysis - sent right to your inbox.

(Optional for Local News)
Privacy: We never share your email address.
Join the Newsmax Community
Read and Post Comments
Please review Community Guidelines before posting a comment.
 
TOP

Interest-Based Advertising | Do not sell or share my personal information

Newsmax, Moneynews, Newsmax Health, and Independent. American. are registered trademarks of Newsmax Media, Inc. Newsmax TV, and Newsmax World are trademarks of Newsmax Media, Inc.

NEWSMAX.COM
America's News Page
© Newsmax Media, Inc.
All Rights Reserved
Download the Newsmax App
NEWSMAX.COM
America's News Page
© Newsmax Media, Inc.
All Rights Reserved