Virginia hospital shooting: Armed prisoner in manhunt captured in DC

WASHINGTON -- Police have captured an escaped prisoner who became the subject of a manhunt after fleeing custody at a Virginia hospital Tuesday morning, a law enforcement official said.

Law enforcement sources said the suspect was arrested in Washington, D.C., by Metropolitan Police Department without incident at 25th and Pennsylvania Avenue SE.

The escaped prisoner, identified as Wossen Assaye, was identified by a bus passenger who recognized him on the bus and called police, a law enforcement source told ABC News.

Assaye earlier prompted a lockdown at Inova Fairfax Hospital, located in the city of Falls Church, Virginia, less than 10 miles southwest of Washington, D.C., authorities said.

Assaye had been taken to the hospital for injuries sustained during a suicide attempt last Friday, officials said. For the first 24 hours of his hospital treatment, he was watched by Alexandria County sheriff's deputies, and after 24 hours, the responsibility for security went to security contractor Allied Protective Services.

At 3 a.m. Tuesday, Assaye overpowered a female security guard at the hospital and took her gun, Fairfax County Police Chief Edwin Roessler said after Assaye was captured.

Next, Assaye confronted a male security officer, according to Bobby Mathieson of the U.S. Marshals Service. Mathieson said the male officer fired a shot, but no one was hit -- though Roessler said it was unknown who fired the shot.

Assaye then escaped through a hospital stairwell, officials said. Authorities say they don't know what restraints were on him. He was wearing a hospital gown and no shoes at the time.

Authorities said they did not know if the escape was pre-planned.

Assaye fled to a residential neighborhood and broke into the trunk of a 2002 silver Toyota Camry, authorities said. When the owner of the car started to drive to work, Assaye kicked out of the trunk, carjacked the vehicle and fled with the car, police said.

The driver was slightly injured during the carjacking, police said.

Around 10:30 a.m., the Camry was found abandoned. Assaye then carjacked another car and fled, police said.

The second car, which may be a 2008 gray Hyundai Elantra with Virginia plates XTU-5024, hasn't been located yet, police said after Assaye's capture.

Police said a weapon has been recovered.

According to a court complaint, Assaye was accused in a string of bank robberies in eastern Virginia between October 2013 and March 20, 2015. In each situation, authorities say, the perpetrator entered the bank -- often with a cellphone to his ear -- either displayed a handgun or demand note, and verbally demanded money.

Assaye had a criminal history, with convictions for multiple burglary and robbery offenses in 1998 and 1999, and served time in prison between 2000 and May 2013, according to the complaint.