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Suspect Nabbed in Madison Manhunt

Update: As of 7:08 p.m. the town of Madison is reporting that the suspect being sought earlier today was located near Suffolk Drive, and taken into custody without incident. "Thank you all for your cooperation and understanding."

We'll have more soon.

Original story:

A "wanted and possibly dangerous" man being sought in four states for a series of robberies, one of them armed, managed on Friday to elude more than 50 police officers and two teams of dogs after he fled from Madison police officers into the North Madison woods around 7 a.m. He remained at large as of 5:30 p.m., as police focused their search in the vicinity of Route 80 and Walnut Hill Road in North Madison, not far from the Madison traffic circle.

Madison police have said that residents near Route 80 and Walnut Hill Road should remain in their homes with doors locked until the suspect is apprehended.

Around 5:30 p.m., Madison First Selectman Tom Banisch said the search for the man continues.

"Good Afternoon.  This is First Selectman Tom Banisch," he said in a recording from town hall. "As you may be aware, the Town of Madison Police Department and the Connecticut State Police began a search this morning for a man considered 'wanted and possibly dangerous.' The search has been focused in the area of Route 80 and Walnut Hill Road. Residents of this area were alerted when the situation arose and they were told to remain in their homes and lock their doors. Two schools in the area were also placed on modified lock-down. As of 4 p.m. this afternoon, the suspect is still at-large; but the various Police Departments involved feel it is contained to this particular area. We are encouraging residents of this area to be cautious. As is usual in a case like this, the police have been handling the communications for the sake of not hampering their investigation."

He ended with the admonition, "be safe."

Madison Police Officer Captain Joseph Race said Friday afternoon that the manhunt is still underway, but there is no lead on the current location of the suspect. "We are going to start from the beginning and go through an area that we first saw him go into," he said. "Now we are trying to focus even more on that smaller area. We are trying to cover thousands of square acres of ground right now."

A new group of police K-9's were brought in just before 3 p.m. to help continue the search. Race said more than 50 police officers from across the shoreline are helping locate the suspect. However, the officers were running out of daylight hours. "There will definitely be a change in resources once it gets dark," he said. "Right now we are actively working on that plan and I am sure we are going to find the resources to stay on this."

Madison Police said Friday that police officers from surrounding towns, along with Connecticut State Police are aiding in the search. They identified the suspect as Francis Sumner, a white male, 5 foot 9 inches, about 170 pounds, brown hair, brown eyes, and a goatee, medium build. He is wanted for robbery charges in Ohio and Michigan, and is a suspect in an incident in Missouri, police said. Madison police said the suspect fled from a stolen vehicle around 7 a.m. Friday.

Sumner Sought in Four States

Police in Hillsdale, Michigan issued a mug shot of Sumner to Madison police Friday.

Hillsdale Detective/Lieutenant Lance Benzing of the Hillsdale County Sheriff's Department said Sumner, 51, is a fugitive on the run, suspected in a series of incidents in Missouri, Ohio, and Michigan, including an armed robbery of a pick-up truck from a residence in southern Ohio in late August. Benzing said Sumner is considered armed and dangerous.

Benzing said Sumner came across the radar of the Hillsdale, Michigan sheriff's department on Aug. 26, when a recreational vehicle was stolen from a dealership overnight in Reading, Michigan. Across the street from that dealership in a cornfield, the Hillsdale sheriff's department found the stolen pick-up truck from southern Ohio.

Benzing said it was his understanding that the suspect involved in the North Madison chase may have fled on foot while police were running the license plate. "The plate started the investigation, the guy may have fled on foot is my understanding, and they are looking for him," he said. "And there's more to the story," adding that the suspect may be connected to a vehicle that was stolen out of Missouri. "So what we have is a fugitive on the run who may be connected to incidents in Missouri, Ohio, and Michigan, and now Connecticut."

Benzing added early Friday that the investigation and manhunt is ongoing, and that the exact identity of the man who fled police in Madison has not yet been definitively ascertained. The mug shot of Sumner was issued because of his apparent connection with the vehicles and license plates involved the ongoing manhunt.

Schools Monitor, Respond to Incident

Madison Public Schools sent out an alert just before 3 p.m. with the following information from Madison Public Schools Superintendent Thomas Scarice: "We were just informed by the Madison Police Department that it is now safe to transport our students and we may resume normal bus route transportation. We anticipate a delay in bus transportation by one hour. A team of administrators and staff will remain at each school until each student has been dismissed. At no time will your child be without adult supervision. You may pick up your child. Beach and Rec after care will resume as regularly scheduled. Brown Middle School after school programs and intramurals have been cancelled. Other schools will resume normal after school activities. Thank you for your patience in this matter.

Scarice had sent out a notice around 2 p.m. advising that buses would be delayed by a minimum of one hour but parents would be able  pick up students at their schools. A previous alert sent via the e-Notify system advised parents that school officials were working with police to assess the safety of the district's afternoon transportation and activities.

Race said Friday that the decision to send students home was made after it was determined that it was safe for students to return home."There is a tremendous police presence in the area so we felt that it was safe for the kids to return home," he said.

Madison Emergency Communications alerted North Madison Residents with a post on Facebook just before 11 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 7:

ATTENTION: POLICE ACTIVITY IN THE AREA OF ROUTE 80 AND WALNUT HILL ROAD! Madison Police are searching for a wanted and possibly dangerous suspect in the area of Rte 80 and Walnut Hill Rd. Please remain indoors with doors locked and call 911 if any suspicious males are seen in the area. K-9s and Aircraft will be operating in the area.

First Selectman Tom Banisch confirmed Friday morning that a manhunt was underway.

"The only thing I know is apparently the person they are looking for is somebody who stole a truck at gunpoint somewhere in the Midwest of the country," he said. "Apparently he has ended up here and is out of the truck and is in the woods."

Check back for updates as this story continues to develop