Neighbors describe chaotic scene as escaped New Orleans inmate Derrick Groves captured in Atlanta
By Christopher Harris
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ATLANTA (WUPA) — Neighbors in a southwest Atlanta community described a chaotic scene as U.S. Marshals and the Atlanta Police Department’s SWAT team surrounded a home Wednesday where 28-year-old Derrick Groves was hiding. Groves, who had been on the run since a May jailbreak in Louisiana, was found hiding in a crawl space beneath the house after a brief standoff.
“I heard pop, pop, pop, pop,” said Deborah Lackey, who lives nearby. “Then I came out and I saw the police cars, and the SWAT truck driving up on the grounds. Next thing you know, they were knocking the door and the garage in. I’m still trying to figure out how he got here from New Orleans. Someone had to bring him.”
Law enforcement officials say Groves’ capture followed a Crimestoppers tip and video evidence that led investigators to the Atlanta home. Inside, officers found drugs and weapons, though it’s not yet clear if anyone else will face charges.
The homeowner, Richard McQueen, told CBS News Atlanta he had no idea who was living in the house.
“I don’t know the people I rented to,” McQueen said. “It was so secretive. I asked my neighbor, ‘Who are these people?’ and everyone said, ‘Oh, they’re good people.’ Now I come home and my property is damaged. I’m trying to figure out what happened just like everyone else.”
Police say Groves was the last of 10 fugitives who escaped from the Orleans Parish Justice Center on May 16. He had been convicted of murder and was considered one of the most dangerous of the group. Groves was taken into custody after the brief standoff. He is now being held at the Fulton County Jail before law enforcement take him to Louisiana in the next 15 days.
Louisiana State Police Superintendent Col. Robert Hodges said investigators “never lost sight during the investigation and our responsibility to bring a violent criminal back to prison.”
Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill called Groves’ capture “a very good day,” adding, “It’s unsettling to have somebody out like this and not know where he is.”
Back in the neighborhood, residents are just relieved the ordeal is over, but they’re still shaken.
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