Suspect in murder case located at restaurant near Democratic National Convention

A man wanted on murder and armed robbery charges was apprehended after a 15-hour standoff with police at a Chicago restaurant near the Democratic National Convention, officials confirmed. The suspect, Joshua Zimmerman, had escaped from a Mississippi courthouse in June and was being sought by the U.S. Marshals Service. He was located at the restaurant by the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office in Mississippi.

Authorities discovered Zimmerman’s whereabouts in Chicago and believed he was working at a seafood restaurant. During the arrest attempt, Zimmerman barricaded himself in the ceiling, leading to a standoff that required the intervention of a Chicago police SWAT team. The incident took place close to the United Center where the convention was ongoing, but the Marshals Service assured there was no threat to the event or attendees.

The Chicago Police Department confirmed the person’s arrest at 7:20 a.m., concluding the SWAT operation that began the previous day at 4 p.m. Zimmerman had escaped from the circuit court building in Mississippi while facing attempted murder and armed robbery charges and was awaiting extradition to Houston, Texas, for a murder charge.

Furthermore, Zimmerman was uncovered to have a criminal record that includes a fatal shooting incident in Houston in 2023 and a prior arrest in Connecticut in 2022 for felony sexual assault. Upon investigation, it was found that Zimmerman had escaped without handcuffs, raising questions about the circumstances of his escape and the lack of restraints.

Authorities expressed their eagerness to speak with Zimmerman to gather more information and proceed with his extradition to face pending charges. The details of the Connecticut case were not immediately available. The arrest in Chicago marked the end of a lengthy search for Zimmerman, who was considered armed and dangerous.