Authorities Closing In On Escaped Prison Inmate David Sweat
MALONE, N.Y. (CBSNewYork/AP) — More than 1,000 officers are pressing on with their search for escaped convict David Sweat even as heavy rain threatens their efforts.
Sweat remains at large, one day after fellow escaped inmate Richard Matt was fatally shot by authorities.
Authorities have set up a 22-square-mile perimeter of thick forest in the town of Malone to search for Sweat -- 40 miles from the Clinton Correction Facility and 10 miles from the Canadian border, CBS2's Matt Kozar reports.
Investigators believe Sweat was with Matt right before he was killed Friday afternoon.
"Very relieved that they got one," a New York resident said. "But everyone is waiting for them to catch the other one."
By Saturday morning, hundreds of officers zeroed in on the woods near Malone, staking out a mile and half perimeter that keeps shifting as they continue the search.
"Sweat is still out there, he's still considered dangerous," New York State Police Supt. Joseph D'Amico said.
Residents are taking extra precautions, CBS2's Kenneth Craig reports.
"This is our little town. We never lock our doors or windows," Laurie Marshall said. "Now we kinda have to because you don't know where he's going to be."
Sweat hasn't been seen for three weeks since he and Matt used power tools to break out of Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora.
The current search site in Franklin County is 40 miles north of the high security prison.
A break in the intense 21-day search came after a reported break-in, authorities said.
"Late Wednesday night we received a report of a break-in of a cabin off Route 41 in the town of Malone. A screen had been cut and window was broken into," said D'Amico
Then on Friday, an intense police response was captured on camera. Cellphone video shows a massive response, sirens blaring, cars speeding down Route 30 toward Malone.
New York State Police Supt. Joseph D'Amico said early Friday afternoon, search teams received a report that a camper vehicle had been struck by gunfire. The owners heard a sound and thought maybe they had a flat tire, but went outside to discover that gunfire had struck the back, D'Amico said.
The owners of the recreational vehicle pulled into a campsite and called New York State Police, who found that the shooting had happened about eight miles back, D'Amico said.
Officers began a search and came upon a cabin with a smell of gunpowder inside. They also noted that someone had recently fled out the back door, D'Amico said.
Officers then began a ground search and detected movement and the sound of coughing, D'Amico said.
"The Customs and Border Patrol tactical team helicoptered in, and approached the site. The team came upon Matt," Gov. Andrew Cuomo said.
The tactical team met up with Matt in the woods off Route 30 in Malone and challenged him, and he was shot and killed by one of their officers, according to Cuomo and D'Amico.
"They verbally challenged him; told him to put up his hands. And at that time, he was shot when he didn't comply," D'Amico said.
A 20-gauge shotgun was recovered, he said.
Cuomo noted that "you never want to see anyone lose their life," but emphasized that Sweat and Matt are "dangerous, dangerous men."
Now, the search continues for Sweat. According to investigators, they've been following several leads.
"We don't have anything to confirm where Mr. Sweat is at this time," said Cuomo.
Law enforcement sources told CBS2 they found two sets of footprints in the area where Matt was killed. One of them could belong to Sweat.
Sources said investigators believe Sweat had about a 30-minute to an hour head start based on the time it took from the shots fired at the camper to when Matt was killed.
Sources said Sweat is considered armed, dangerous and desperate, and that while desperation can lead to mistakes, it also makes him even more dangerous.
Sweat, 35, was serving a life sentence without parole for killing a sheriff's deputy. Matt, 48, was doing 25 years to life for the 1997 kidnapping, torture and hacksaw dismemberment of his former boss.
