Family shoots, kills escaped murder suspect who took them hostage

Thursday, March 10th 2016, 9:59 am CDTThursday, March 10th 2016, 9:06 pm CDTPosted by Morgan Cherry, Digital Content Producer
Source: Vicksburg PD
Source: WLBT

Source: WLBT

VICKSBURG, MS (Mississippi News Now) -An escaped murder suspect, who has been on the loose for over a week, was killed by a family who he was holding hostage.

Police were called to a home on Fort Hill at 7:15 am on Thursday. The 30-year-old homeowner told them that at around 4 am, he and his 5-year-old son were in their garage getting ready to get in the car, when escaped inmate Rafael McCloud approached them with a knife.

McCloud then forced him and his son back into their home, where he held him, his 24-year-old wife and their son hostage.

The man says that he was bound in the bathroom. He managed to break free and began to fight the suspect, before he was stabbed in the back of the shoulder.

He then held up the family in the bathroom. At some point, his wife was able to leave the bathroom and returned with a handgun and fired at McCloud.

After she shot him, she was able to untie her husband, who then fired additional shots at McCloud.

The family ran from the home and flagged down a driver who was able to call 911.

When police arrived on the scene, they found McCloud in the bathtub with multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead on scene.

The coroner took his body to the Mississippi Crime Lab for autopsy.

McCloud escaped from the Warren County Jail on March 2.

Authorities say that McCloud used a homemade shank and held a guard hostage when he escaped.

He then forced him to take off his uniform, a black jacket and green pants. Police believe he changed into the guards clothing, and also took the guard's radio and keys before escaping through a side door.

City, county, state, and federal officers have been involved in the search for McCloud, who was indicted for the death of Sharen Wilson which occurred on June 28, 2015.

Ghost hunters discovered her body at the abandoned Kuhn Hospital in Vicksburg.

McCloud was charged with murder, rape, burglary, arson, auto theft and felon in possession of a firearm.

http://www.msnewsnow.com/story/31435...k-them-hostage