Escaped Convict in South Walton Captured

[Misty]

Walton County Sheriff, Michael A. Adkinson, Jr. added 2 new photos.
30 mins ·
Update on Stringer search. Deputies from Bay, Walton County Sheriffs Offices and other law enforcement agencies continue to search for Louisiana escapee Christopher Stringer.

Law enforcement officials have worked around the clock to capture Stringer. Deputies are working tirelessly in difficult conditions. We are still concentrating in the Carillon Beach to Inlet Beach areas.

Heavy vegetation and lowlands make searching difficult. Pictured is some of the areas law enforcement have been searching. This thick vegetation makes it easy for Stringer to conceal himself.

Deputies will be on foot tonight continuing the search. Please know we are doing everything to apprehend Stringer.

 

[Misty]

Walton County Sheriff, Michael A. Adkinson, Jr.
11 mins ·
Louisiana Escapee Christopher Stringer has been CAPTURED by Bay County Deputies in the Carillon Beach area. Stringer was attempting to move under the cover of darkness and was seen by deputies and quickly taken into custody.

This was a great team effort by many local and state aw enforcement agencies. We are thankful no one was injured during this operation.

 

[Lake View Too]

Just saw on FB, they got him!

 

[Misty]

Just saw on FB, they got him!

Yep, that post hit just as I copy pasted this one.

Good job all LEO's!

 

[miznotebook]

From Walton County Sheriff Mike Adkinson:
Louisiana Escapee Christopher Stringer has been CAPTURED by Bay County Deputies in the Carillon Beach area. Stringer was attempting to move under the cover of darkness and was seen by deputies and quickly taken into custody.

This was a great team effort by many local and state aw enforcement agencies. We are thankful no one was injured during this operation.

 

[Misty]

Frank McKeithen - Bay County Sheriff
8:20 pm, Bay County Sheriff's Deputies observed Stringer walking through the dune area just east of Carillon Beach near the Bay and Walton County line. At the time of his arrest, Stringer was armed with a knife, but was arrested without incident. Additional charges of burglary are possible. This operation was a great team effort between the Walton County Sheriff's Office and the Bay County Sheriff's Office with the assistance of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission, Florida Department of Corrections and Panama City Beach Police Department. Stringer will be booked into the Bay County Jail.

 

[John G]

Great job by Bay and Walton and all other agencies.

From the news photos of the suspect, he appears to have acquired clothes (and a knife), most likely from an unsecured vacation rental that he burglarized... (Lock your doors people).

His hair looks just like the original mug shot, not longer. A report had him with longer hair.

Seems as if there was significant confusion and miscommunication throughout the process.

Many parents were concerned and upset that schools were not prepared with better info. Some kids told me the guy had escaped from "work release" and the fact it was an "unexcused" absence for kids not staying is odd.

I also wonder how WCSO staffing was during the time of the two car chases? (12:30am to 5:30am). I know by 9:00am, there where several dozens of officer in SoWal. In the past, SoWal area has been very lightly staffed overnight. If there were not enough officers out working, that could have been a problem.

Glad its all over and that no one got hurt.

 

[Lake View Too]

All's well that ends well, but, can the TDC please stop advertising to inmate populations.

 

[Misty]

John, the guy was a convicted car thief, not an AX murderer. They escaped from a MINIMUM security facility. None of them were believed to be armed. The schools were notified and locked down. I'm not second guessing the LEO's but I think it's safe to to assume that if this had been a larger threat (armed and dangerous murderer, child molester, serial rapist....whatever) things would have been handled differently.

I'll admit I'm not a fan of how the Sheriff spends our tax dollars but I am of fan of what he does to keep our community safe and given the circumstances of the surroundings they were working in, I think ALL LEO's involved did a great job! Stringer was contained to a 2 mile area for over 2 days, he was cornered like a rat in a trap and no one got hurt. Speaks volumes!

 

[Misty]

Thanks for merging the 2 threads. It wasn't my intent to create another thread but in my haste to post the info of his capture I clicked on the SoWal forum and "create new thread" icon. My apologies.