After a 48-day manhunt U.S. marshals captured suspected cop killer Eric Frein on Thursday. Frein, described by police as a survivalist, is accused of killing a Pennsylvania state trooper and seriously injuring another officer in an ambush on Sept. 12.
The capture of Frein—who was among the FBI’s most wanted—brings to a close a manhunt that stretched for weeks and involved as many as 1,000 officers at times, according to CNN. “Frein was described as a survivalist and expert marksman who role-played as a Serbian soldier,” according to USA Today. “Firing from woods across from the barracks, the gunman used a high-powered rifle to kill Cpl. Bryon Dickson and wound Trooper Alex Douglass during shift change.”
Here’s more on the how authorities tracked Frein down from the Associated Press:
Police said they linked him to the ambush after a man walking his dog discovered his partly submerged SUV three days later in a swamp a few miles from the shooting scene. Inside, investigators found shell casings matching those found at barracks as well as Frein’s driver’s license, camouflage face paint, two empty rifle cases and military gear. Saying Frein was armed and extremely dangerous, officials had closed schools and urged residents to be alert and cautious. Using dogs, thermal imaging technology and other tools, law enforcement officials combed miles of forest as they hunted for Frein, whom they called an experienced survivalist at home in the woods.
They pursued countless tips and closed in on an area around Frein’s parents’ home in Canadensis after he used his cellphone to try contacting them and the signal was traced to a location about 3 miles away. At times police ordered nearby residents to stay inside or prevented them from returning home… Police spotted a man they believed to be Frein at several points during the manhunt, but it was always from a distance, with the rugged terrain allowing him to keep them at bay. Police said he appeared to be treating the manhunt as a game.
Federal officials say Frein was captured in a hangar and was armed at the time.
