Daytona Beach Police tweeted Othal Wallace, the man wanted for the attempted murder of Daytona Beach police officer Jason Raynor, was captured overnight.
Daytona Beach Police Chief Jakari Young held a press conference at 5:40 a.m. to announce Wallace was captured hiding in a tree house in a wooded area in Dekalb County Georgia. Wallace was found with multiple weapons, ammunition and body armor when he was taken into custody around 2:30 AM.
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A search warrant was executed by Georgia State Patrol with the assistance of U.S. Marshalls, FBI, Homeland Security and the Dekalb County Police Department.
In the press conference Young said, at the time of the arrest, Wallace said, “You guys know who I am, you know what I am capable of and it could have been a lot worse.”
Three officers from the Daytona Beach Police Department were on scene in Georgia with U.S. Marshalls who used Officer Raynor’s handcuffs on Wallace when he was arrested.
A multi-state manhunt had been underway since Wednesday, when police say Wallace allegedly shot Raynor in the head.
UPDATE: We will hold the press conference at 5:30 a.m. ET from our HQ (129 Valor Boulevard). https://t.co/LNVuE91cPA
— Daytona Beach Police (@DaytonaBchPD) June 26, 2021
WATCH: Daytona Beach Press Conference - Othal Wallace in Custody
FBI’s Most Wanted Twitter page tweeted a flyer Friday evening with Wallace’s photo and information and said he should be considered “armed and dangerous.”
Wallace is being charged with attempted first degree murder of a law enforcement officer with a firearm in the Circuit Court for Volusia County. A state warrant has been issued for his arrest.
Dr. Randy Nelson runs the Law and Social Justice Center at Bethune Cookman University. He’s also worked alongside Daytona Beach police for training and workshops.
“They’re willing to go to the gates of hell to find this individual,” he said.
TIMELINE: Othal Wallace captured in Georgia
Nelson said when he heard what happened and saw the video, he felt broken.
“This is someone’s child,” Nelson said. “This isn’t some abstract movie, this is someone’s child.”
“Policing is nothing like what you see on television,” Nelson said. “So the way the law enforcement professionals are going about this work, to find and apprehend this, this monster, they’re doing the right way.”
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Anyone who helped hide Wallace could also face charges.
“Anyone that that helps someone in the commission of a crime or concealment is a felony charge, Nelson said. “So that should be taken very seriously. If there’s anyone that assistant or harboring this individual they would be held to the fullest extent of the law as well.”
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