Residents of a suburban Philadelphia community locked themselves in their houses and at least one school district canceled classes as authorities indicated they were closing in on an escaped murderer who has evaded capture in the region for nearly two weeks.

Danelo Souza Cavalcante entered a garage late Monday in the search area northwest of Philadelphia, stole a rifle, and fled when the homeowner drew a pistol and shot at him, Pennsylvania State Police Lt. Col. George Bivens said in a news conference Tuesday morning.

State Police posted on social media that the department was pursuing Cavalcante in South Coventry Township, about 20 miles (32 kilometers) north of the Chester County jail, from which he escaped Aug. 31. Police warned that Cavalcante was armed and not to approach him, and asked the public to call 911 if they see him.

About 500 officers are searching or guarding an 8- to 10-square mile area roughly 30 miles northwest (50 kilometers) of Philadelphia, Bivens said.

  • @Potatos_are_not_friends
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    61 year ago

    “The garage door was open. He didn’t, I believe, recognize that the owner was in there. And I think he was probably looking for a place to hide, ran for that garage, saw the firearm, grabbed that, encountered the homeowner and fled with the firearm,” Bivens said.

    Really giving gun owners a bad name.

    That weapon was out in the open and something a child could have picked up.

    Fuck the owner of the house.

    • @[email protected]
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      fedilink
      -71 year ago

      Sounds like he lived in a rural area.

      Things are just different outside of suburbs and cities. People leave their doors unlocked.