A federal inmate in North Carolina sparked a multi-county pursuit this week after overpowering detention officers, seizing a firearm, and fatally shooting one of them, according to local authorities. The inmate, 48-year-old Kelvin Simmons, was being escorted to an orthopedic clinic in Cherokee County for an undisclosed medical procedure when the incident occurred.
During the visit, Simmons managed to overpower Cherokee County Detention Officers Francisco Flattes and George Fienauer, seizing Flattes’ firearm and shooting him. Following the shooting, Simmons fled the scene, commandeering a vehicle in the clinic’s parking lot, according to Cherokee County Sheriff Dustin Smith.
Simmons then led law enforcement officers on a high-speed chase that spanned several counties. The pursuit, which involved deputies and the North Carolina Highway Patrol, ended in Macon County, roughly an hour’s drive east of the clinic. After a brief standoff, Simmons was apprehended by the Macon County Sheriff’s Office.
Officer Flattes, 56, succumbed to his injuries. Sheriff Smith announced that Simmons will face charges of first-degree murder. Officer Fienauer also sustained injuries during the altercation, although not from gunfire.
Sheriff Smith described the incident as the “hardest day” of his career, expressing his department’s grief over the loss of Officer Flattes. Simmons was already incarcerated on bank robbery charges and was awaiting charges for a previous escape attempt in October. Additional charges related to this incident are expected to be filed soon.
A 911 call made during the incident provided further details. The caller, an unidentified individual at the medical facility, informed the operator that a patient had a gun and was firing shots in the lobby. The caller also reported that Simmons had taken a hostage and was seen approaching a vehicle in the parking lot.
Officer Flattes is survived by his wife, who also works for the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, his children, and several grandchildren. Cherokee County, located on the westernmost edge of North Carolina, has a population of approximately 30,000 residents.