Louisiana murder suspect pepper sprays deputy, steals patrol car in brazen escape

A Louisiana inmate who was arrested in July on a second-degree murder charge is on the run after pepper-spraying a deputy transporting him from an area hospital and stealing her marked sheriff's vehicle, authorities said.

Leon Ruffin, 51, had been in custody at the Jefferson Parish jail after his arrest July 20 on suspicion of murder, jail records show. A manhunt is now underway for Ruffin after he managed to escape from custody Sunday evening while a deputy with the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office was transporting Ruffin back to the jail from a New Orleans hospital where he had received medical treatment.

Hours later in New Orleans, investigators tracked down the marked patrol vehicle that Ruffin is accused of stealing to make his brazen escape. The sheriff's office had no new information to share about the search for Ruffin or his suspected whereabouts when reached Monday afternoon by USA TODAY.

Ruffin had been treated for seizure before escape

Ruffin had been taken Sunday afternoon to the Ochsner Medical Center to be treated for a seizure. The medical facility is about a 4-mile drive southeast of the Jefferson Parish jail in Gretna, located just east of New Orleans across the Mississippi River.

"In our opinion, he was probably faking some injuries that he had," Sheriff Joseph Lopinto said in a Sunday news conference shared on the department's Facebook page.

Ruffin was discharged hours later around 6:40 p.m. and was to be transported by a deputy back to the jail.

Before the deputy's marked Ford Explorer even left the parking lot, Ruffin "created some type of disturbance" that prompted the deputy to exit the vehicle and go to the inmate's door, where he sprayed her with pepper spray, Lopinto said.

"Do not know where get got the pepper spray," Lopinto said, clarifying that the transporting deputy still had her own.

Ruffin then charged at the deputy before getting behind the wheel of the Explorer and fleeing. The deputy fired her gun up to three times toward the vehicle as Ruffin sped through the parking lot, though Lopinto said it was unclear if the inmate was struck or injured.

The vehicle was later located in the New Orleans neighborhood of Algiers on the west bank of the Mississippi River.

The deputy was treated for the pepper spray at the hospital and is in “good spirits.”

"We're doing everything we can to locate him and get him back into custody," Lopinto said.

Accused murderer considered armed and dangerous

In addition to the murder charge, Ruffin was also charged in July with obstruction of justice; illegally carrying a firearm (since he has already been convicted of felonies); aggravated assault with a firearm; and aggravated criminal damaging to property.

Lopinto said his office has contacted the victim's family about Ruffin's escape in case he would target them while on the run.

"I really don't believe he has anything to lose," Lopinto said. "I definitely consider him armed and dangerous."

Eric Lagatta covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at elagatta@gannett.com