A manhunt is underway for 32-year-old Richard Donta J. Cotton, who fled the Leighton Criminal Courthouse in Chicago during a detention hearing, prompting a judge to issue an arrest warrant, the Cook County Sheriff’s Office said.
According to the Chicago Sun-Times, the incident occurred about 12:35 p.m. Monday, when a judge ordered court deputies to take custody of Cotton, who had appeared in court to determine whether or not he would be detained.
According to the sheriff’s office, Cotton, who had previously been released on a weapons charge, made a simple request to pass some personal belongings to a family member, but as he approached the relative, he seized the opportunity to tear through the courtroom doors and flee the courthouse grounds; an extensive search is underway to locate the fleeing individual.
The NBC Chicago story revealed that an arrest warrant was soon obtained, and Cotton is still at large, with law enforcement agencies attempting to apprehend him; however, information about this stunning turn of events is scarce.
Residents and anybody with knowledge about Cotton’s whereabouts are advised to call the Cook County Sheriff’s Office at 847-635-1188 or report sightings to 911 while efforts to apprehend the escapee continue. The sheriff’s office has failed to reveal the circumstances of Cotton’s escape or the charges associated with the original firearms arrest, creating a shroud of mystery as investigators pursue leads.
