DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Daytona Beach Police on Saturday announced that Othal Wallace, the man wanted for the attempted murder of Daytona Beach police officer Jason Raynor, was captured early Saturday morning.
Daytona Beach Police Chief Jakari Young held a press conference at 5:40 a.m. announcing Wallace was captured hiding in a tree house in a wooded area in Dekalb County, Georgia. Wallace was found with multiple weapons, ammunition and body armor when he was taken into custody around 2:30 a.m.
WATCH: Daytona Beach Press Conference - Othal Wallace in Custody
A search warrant was executed by Georgia State Patrol with the assistance of U.S. Marshalls, FBI, Homeland Security and the Dekalb County Police Department.
In the press conference on Saturday Daytona Police Chief Jakari Young said at the time of the arrest Wallace said “You guys know who I am, you know what I am capable of and it could have been a lot worse.”
Three officers from the Daytona Beach Police department were on scene in Georgia with U.S. Marshalls who used Officer Raynor’s handcuffs on Othal Wallace when he was arrested.
A multi-state manhunt had been underway since Wednesday, when police said Wallace allegedly shot Raynor in the head.
FBI’s Most Wanted Twitter page tweeted a flyer Friday evening with Wallace’s photo and information and said he should be considered “armed and dangerous.”
Othal Wallace has been captured! There will be a press conference at 5:00 am this morning. pic.twitter.com/jyI6nYI5Ud
— Daytona Beach Police (@DaytonaBchPD) June 26, 2021
Wallace is being charged with attempted first degree murder of a law enforcement officer with a firearm in the Circuit Court for Volusia County. A state warrant has been issued for his arrest.
Dr. Randy Nelson runs the Law and Social Justice Center at Bethune Cookman University. He’s also worked alongside Daytona Beach police for training and workshops.
“They’re willing to go to the gates of hell to find this individual,” he said.
READ: Othal Wallace may have disabled Officer Raynor’s bodycam before fleeing, investigators say
Nelson said when he heard what happened and saw the video, he felt broken.
“This is someone’s child,” Nelson said. “This isn’t some abstract movie, this is someone’s child.”
READ: Recovery fund set up for Daytona Beach officer Jason Raynor: Here’s how to donate
“Policing is nothing like what you see on television,” Nelson said. “So they the way the law enforcement professionals are going about this work, to find and apprehend this, this monster, they’re doing the right way.”
Anyone who helped hide Wallace could also face charges.
“Anyone that that helps someone in the commission of a crime or concealment is a felony charge,: Nelson said. “So that should be taken very seriously. If there’s anyone that assistant or harboring this individual they would be held to the fullest extent of the law as well.”
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