A Louisiana inmate, Leon Ruffin, is currently at large after he escaped custody during a medical transport on Sunday. Ruffin, a convicted murderer, was being transported from a medical center to the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center when he pepper-sprayed a deputy, stole her vehicle, and fled the scene.
The incident occurred following treatment for a seizure. Sheriff Joseph Lopinto described Ruffin as a Black man who is bald, approximately 5 feet 9 inches tall, and weighs around 270 pounds.
He was in custody since July on charges including second-degree murder, aggravated assault with a weapon, and felon in possession of a firearm, and was serving a life sentence.
Louisiana convicted killer (Credits: Yahoo Canada Style)
According to Lopinto, the deputy opened the vehicle door to address a disturbance created by Ruffin when he used pepper spray on her, charged at her, and stole the vehicle.
The deputy fired her gun multiple times at Ruffin, but it is unclear if any shots hit him. The deputy still had her pepper spray on her, raising questions about where Ruffin obtained the pepper spray he used.
The stolen police vehicle, marked with ID number GO68 and license plate 239626, was later found abandoned in the Algiers neighborhood. However, Ruffin was not located in the area.
Law enforcement agencies are actively searching for Ruffin, who is considered armed and dangerous. The public is urged to report any information related to his whereabouts to the authorities. The Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office is collaborating with other agencies to locate and apprehend Ruffin.
