CHEROKEE COUNTY, N.C. — A federal inmate is facing murder charges after fatally shooting a detention officer with a stolen gun and fleeing a medical clinic in North Carolina, sparking a high-speed chase across multiple counties, authorities said.
The chaos erupted Monday when Kelvin Simmons, 48, was taken from jail to an orthopedic clinic in Cherokee County for undisclosed medical treatment. He was escorted by Cherokee County Detention Officers Francisco Flattes and George Fienauer.
During the visit, Simmons allegedly overpowered the officers, seized Flattes’ firearm, and shot him, Sheriff Dustin Smith said.
After the shooting, Simmons fled into the parking lot, hijacked a black Chevrolet that had just arrived, and sped away, the sheriff’s office reported.
He led deputies and the North Carolina Highway Patrol on a pursuit stretching through Clay County into Macon County, roughly an hour away. Authorities said Simmons was finally captured after a brief standoff with Macon County deputies.
Flattes, 56, died of his injuries. Fienauer sustained injuries during the incident but was not shot, officials confirmed.
“This is the hardest day of my career,” Sheriff Smith said. “We are all mourning the loss of Francisco and doing everything we can to support his family and loved ones.”
Simmons was already in custody on bank robbery charges and was facing charges for a previous escape attempt in October, the sheriff noted. Additional charges, including first-degree murder, are expected.
A 911 call from the clinic captured the harrowing moments. A caller reported a patient with a gun firing shots in the lobby and taking a woman hostage.
“He’s robbing her!” the caller shouted, describing Simmons getting into the Chevy.
Flattes’ wife also works for the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office. He is survived by his wife, children, and several grandchildren, authorities said.
Cherokee County, in North Carolina’s westernmost corner bordering Tennessee, has a population of about 30,000.
