California police mistakenly released a murder suspect awaiting extradition, setting off a manhunt.
A statement from the Contra Costa Sheriff’s Department identified the former prisoner as Isaiah Jamon Andrews, 20, a man formerly being held in the Martinez Detention Facility in California. While waiting for his extradition to Seattle, however, authorities mistakenly released him on Wednesday. Police realized their mistake by Monday, sending out a press release looking for information on the fugitive.
“After Sheriff’s Office staff realized Andrews had been released, we launched a search of the immediate area and confirmed that Andrews was no longer in the area. The search for Andrews is ongoing by the U.S. Marshals Service. Local law enforcement agencies have also been notified,” the press release from the CCSD read.
Andrews is suspected of shooting and killing Theodore Wheeler, 20, in a Seattle hotel parking lot on Oct. 19. He was arrested after a car chase hundreds of miles south in California on Wednesday, the Seattle Police Department said.
Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes told San Francisco’s ABC 7 that the courts were to blame rather than the police.
“I think sometimes people forget that it is a criminal justice system. Cops, courts, and corrections is kind of how I always remember it. And although we did our due diligence, the courts and that part of the system, however, did not,” he said.
AIR FORCE BASE ‘DEEPLY SADDENED’ AFTER THREE KILLED IN ‘DOUBLE MURDER-SUICIDE’
Locals speaking with the outlet voiced their shock at the news.
“I don’t know what to say other than it’s a huge mistake. Wow. How does that happen?” Falisa Johnson said. “I want to know what he looks like and all that stuff so I can just be aware.”
