Inmate escape.
This guy's name is Brian Lee.
He's doing an eight year sentence
for armed robbery and arson.
It's obvious that he's having trouble with his woman.
It appears that she's involved with another guy.
We have to assume he intends to do her harm.
We certainly need to get him before he gets there.
[music playing]
Live from the news station, WATE Knoxville.
31-year-old Brian Lee made a break from a work
crew at an Anderson County church around
1 o'clock this afternoon.
[music playing]
We're going to head over to the south blocks
where his girlfriend lives.
And if our hunch is right, he'll be headed that way.
Inmate Brian Calvin Lee was eating
lunch when the pastor says he left the Fellowship Hall.
I assumed, I guess, that he was going to the bathroom.
And the pastor says he had no idea
his car was gone until the officer in charge told him.
[music playing]
If the preacher would have realized he was stealing
his keys out of his pocket and had confronted him,
he very well have killed the old man.
This inmate is obviously desperate.
He hadn't thought this through.
About two, three weeks ago, she cut him off.
He decided probably a day or two ago, OK, I'm out of here,
whatever-- whatever means.
Yeah.
[music playing]
Attention all units, be on the lookout for escaped felon
Brian Calvin Lee.
White male, 31 years old.
Suspect is believed to be driving a stolen Kia Sportage.
It's very important that we find Brian Lee.
This guy's violent.
He's proven that.
He's doing an eight year sentence
for armed robbery and arson.
We have to do the best we can to try to protect
innocent life in this case.
Attention, all units.
Highway Patrol has spotted a white Kia Sportage.
Escaped felon Brian Calvin Lee believed to be driving vehicle.
Somebody may have spotted the vehicle.
Attention all units.
The suspect Brian Calvin Lee has abandoned vehicle
and is fleeing on foot.
Highway Patrol is in pursuit.
[accelerating]
[inaudible] dispatch on the radio.
It appears that they have wanted the two people spotted Brian
Lee, and they're in pursuit.
Attention all units.
Suspect Brian Calvin Lee has been apprehended
and is in custody.
Suspect was combative, and chemical agents were deployed.
Hurrah, they got him.
[music playing]
They got Brian Lee.
We're going to go get him, take custody of him,
interrogate him and get him back to the prison.
As soon as they got into the neighborhood,
they spotted the stolen vehicle.
And sure enough, Brian Lee was in there.
It was a short vehicle pursuit.
He was trying to flee, of course.
He was consuming alcohol [laughs] the whole way,
and he wrecked the vehicle.
We chased him there for about three or four blocks,
and he cornered himself.
He ran in behind a house.
He realized he was caged in and couldn't get out.
He looked me in the eye and he said "shoot me."
Obviously, I couldn't do that at that point.
So I re-holstered and I went with intermediate weapons,
took him down to the ground and handcuffed him.
Once we took him into custody, a lot of talk,
and he informed us that he-- he escaped to-- to get somebody.
He was looking for his girlfriend.
Right.
And it's our belief he was going to do her some harm.
Good evening.
Tonight, an escaped inmate is back in custody.
An undercover THP officer finally caught him.
The escaped inmate was cuffed in South Knoxville.
He can now add theft and escape charges to his rap sheet.
[music playing]
Gordon, can he get a shirt?
Here.
Our escapee just wanted to tell us what we already knew.
It just complicates our investigational follow-up.
We have to go locate these individuals who he was talking
to at the time THP contacted him, determine whether or not
they were involved, and whether anybody
else aided him in his escape.
[music playing]
I been with this girl off and on for about 14 years.
She started messing with my friend,
and that's how it all started.
Escaped on a Monday.
I found out Saturday.
I didn't plan it at all.
It was a stupid move on my part, you know.
I didn't get to see her or anything, you know?
I regret it.
When I first got in it and I passed the church,
I wanted to turn around and go back.
[laughs] But I couldn't, because I was already gone, you know?
Now I'm on max.
Just get out one hour a day.
I'm tired of chasing after her, you know what I mean?
I'm tired of it.
The problem is, I love her.
Right now, I still love her, you know?
If I got out today, I'd be with her.