A Bowie County, Texas escapee was shot today while being taken into custody. The escapee was pronounced dead at the scene. The identity of the inmate is being withheld, pending family notification procedures.
About 1 PM today, one of the Texarkana police officers located the escapees outside 210 East Street. Subsequently, both officers approached the pair in an attempt to apprehend the escapees. While one officer was taking an escapee into custody, the second officer was met with resistance by the other inmate who began to fight with the officer and attempted to gain control of the second officer’s gun.
During the struggle the gun was fired, causing the first officer to shoot the inmate fighting with the second officer.
The body of the deceased inmate will be transported to the Arkansas State Crime Laboratory to confirm the cause and manner of death.
Special Agents of the state police Criminal Investigation Division are continuing to collect statements from witnesses and evidence associated with the shooting.
The investigative case file prepared by the state police will be submitted to the Miller County prosecuting attorney who will determine whether the use of deadly force by a law enforcement officer in the incident was consistent with Arkansas laws.
Michael Olson, 30, was being held on felony Assault and a probation violation charge. Wayde Land, 38, was in jail on the charges of Burglary of a Building and Possession of a Controlled Substance.
According to Bowie County Sheriff Jeff Neal, the two inmates busted out cinder blocks from the jail annex allowing them to escape the building. They then crawled into the train yard where they got onto a train.
According to authorities the inmates escaped slightly after 1 a.m. on Monday.
