Danilo Cavalcante Pennsylvania trophy photo
Danilo Cavalcante: The controversial photo that has everyone talking
Kworld Trend / Danilo Cavalcante Pennsylvania trophy photo, After Pennsylvania prison escapee Danilo Cavalcanti was handcuffed Wednesday morning, but before he was placed in the back of an armored truck, dozens of heavily armed officers gathered around him in an arc.
Cavalcanti was positioned in front with the officer holding his arms. One of the officers was carrying a .22 caliber rifle, got down on one knee and raised the weapon up. The K-9 dogs involved in the search moved forward. Other officers spread out behind to get a clear view.
They all looked together in one direction – at an officer who was holding up a phone to take a picture.
Danilo Cavalcante Pennsylvania trophy photo
A convicted murderer who escaped from a Pennsylvania prison by “crab walking” over a wall has been captured, after nearly two weeks on the run.
The dramatic seizure of Danilo Cavalcanti around 8 a.m. (local time) Wednesday in Chester County involved a helicopter, a thunderstorm, a police dog and more than 20 tactical officers, officials said.
“Our nightmare is finally over,” Chester County Prosecutor Deb Ryan told reporters after the killer was taken into custody.
At around 1 a.m. on Wednesday, a helicopter flying over the search area picked up a heat signal on the ground, police said in a news conference following his detention.
However, after a thunderstorm forced the helicopter out, a tactical team of 20 to 25 officers secured the area and waited until morning.
Cavalcanti was asleep when police found him lying on top of a rifle he had stolen from a nearby resident late Monday evening.
Pennsylvania State Police Lieutenant Colonel George Bivins said officers surprised the convicted killer and he tried to escape by crawling through dense bushes with the rifle in his hand.
Deputy U.S. Marshal Robert Clark said a police dog bit the 34-year-old fugitive in the head while another dog grabbed his thigh.
He added: “He was probably in excruciating pain.”
Continued
Aerial news footage showed an officer wiping Cavalcanti’s head and bloodied face with a towel.
About two dozen officers wearing tactical gear took a group photo with the fugitive before he was taken into custody.
The move drew criticism from police reform advocates and members of the public who described it as inappropriate.
A video of what happened after Cavalcanti’s arrest shows him handcuffed and escorted by more than a dozen heavily armed officers to the back of a Special Response Team armored vehicle.
Cavalcanti’s face was covered in blood and he was wearing dark trousers and a hoodie, and his body was cut up before being placed in the car.
The killer escaped from the Chester County Jail on August 31 while awaiting transfer to a different facility.
He escaped by scaling the walls of the amusement park, pushing through layers of barbed wire, running across the ceiling and, finally, jumping to the ground outside the prison.
His escape was not discovered for more than an hour until the guards counted the number of prisoners.
The tower guard who was on duty at the time of his escape has since been fired, officials said.
Cavalcanti appeared in court at the Avondale barracks on charges of escape. The preliminary hearing was scheduled for September 27.
Cavalcanti stripped naked
Furthermore, before placing Cavalcanti in the armored truck, officers cut off his sweatshirt and revealed a large tattoo on his back, as seen in the upper video. They then stripped him of his clothes except for his underwear, and an officer took several pictures of the front and back of his left leg.
Stripping a prisoner is standard procedure, Bivins said. Cavalcanti suffered a minor wound to his scalp from a police dog, Bivins said.
Miller said these photos may have been to identify his markings or tattoos to make sure he had the right person.
In addition, stripping the prisoner naked is a way to ensure there are no dangerous objects on him, McCabe said. Taking pictures at this point can also document any injuries.
“He may have been injured during his time on the run, and you want to make sure his physical condition is documented before you detain him inside the vehicle where he is essentially being held with only two officers,” McCabe said.
“You want to make it absolutely clear that if he was bruised, cut or injured in some way, those things happened before he was taken into custody,” he added.
The celebration was depicted as a “photo op” by critics
While some may see the photo as a memento of a major law enforcement accomplishment, it has also sparked controversy. Critics, including former Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey, have referred to it as a “photo op,” suggesting it may not be the most professional approach.
Former FBI Director Andrew McCabe acknowledged the criticism but noted that, in the grand scheme of the operation, the photo was a small aspect compared to the enormous accomplishment of capturing the fugitive.
