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Manhunt in Virginia ends with escapee's capture

By Andrew V. Pestano and Danielle Haynes

FALLS CHURCH, Va., March 31 (UPI) -- A prisoner who escaped from a hospital in Falls Church, Va., was captured Tuesday after an hours-long manhunt.

Law enforcement officials apprehended 42-year-old Wossen Assaye around 11:30 a.m. as he exited from a Metro bus in southeast Washington, D.C.

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A witness who knew about the manhunt from social media posts recognized Assaye and alerted police to his whereabouts.

Assaye escaped from Inova Fairfax Hospital early Tuesday. A guard's gun was fired once, but no one was injured. It is unclear who fired the shot.

The hospital was cleared to resume activities shortly after the incident.

Police told WUSA9-TV Assaye allegedly stole two vehicles while in Virginia. When he was captured, he was still wearing hospital scrubs under civilian clothing and ankle shackles.

Assaye was arrested by federal authorities last week in connection to a series of bank robberies across Northern Virginia. Police said the robberies were committed while he was on a bike.

Assaye attempted to harm himself at Alexandria City Jail and was then transported to the hospital, where police say private security guards who were hired to look over Assaye were overpowered about 3 a.m. Law enforcement officials told The Washington Post one security guard had been left alone in Assaye's hospital room at the time of his escape.

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Alexandria Sheriff's Office deputies guarded Assaye for the first 24 hours in the hospital before he was turned over to security officers contracted by the U.S. Marshals Service.

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