Citizen holds escaped work release inmate at gunpoint until law enforcement arrives, sheriff says

Tyler Morgan (Covington Police Department)

A wanted inmate who escaped work detail in a metro Atlanta police car is back in custody thanks to the help of a citizen.

According to the Newton County Sheriff's Office, Tyler Morgan escaped while working at the Covington Police Department. He managed to get away in an unmarked gray Ford Crown Victoria patrol vehicle. The vehicle, which was out of service, had last been seen in the Brown Bridge Road area.

Around 6:30 p.m., Morgan was apprehended. The sheriff’s office says a citizen saw him and held him at gunpoint until law enforcement arrived.

"We want to thank GSP, Henry County PD, and Covington PD for assisting us in this search," the sheriff's office said in a statement to FOX 5. "Additionally, we want to thank the community for getting involved and helping us catch him."

CovingtonCrime and Public Safety