An inmate at the Putnam County jail was shot this morning during an escape attempt. The shooting occurred on jail property. The prisoner was rushed to the hospital, with life-threatening injuries. The condition of the inmate is not known at this time, although unconfirmed sources state that the inmate died at a Palatka Hospital.

In April, two Putnam County prisoners escaped and lead police on a six-day multi-state manhunt before they were apprehended.

UPDATE 12:15 PM
On 8/5/09 at about 9:35 am, an inmate being held at the Putnam County Jail was shot while he was attempting to escape custody. The inmate was pronounced deceased at about 10:07 am at Putnam Community Hospital. Sheriff Hardy will hold a press briefing at 1:00pm today at the Sheriff’s Office.

UPDATE 1:00 PM

This morning at about 9:35 AM, an inmate who was being held at the Putnam County Jail was shot and killed in an escape attempt, according to a Putnam County Sheriff's Office press release.

Inmate Michael A. Campbell had climbed a perimeter containment fence while he was in a recreation yard. In spite of repeated warnings by the corrections deputy to stop, the inmate responded by jumping from the top of the fence and tried to flee on foot. The corrections deputy shot the inmate one time with a shotgun as he attempted to flee. The inmate was transported to Putnam Medical Center where he was pronounced deceased by hospital medical staff.

The prisoner was a Department of Corrections Inmate who was being temporarily detained at the Putnam County Jail for the purpose of making a court appearance at a child custody hearing. Campbell has been incarcerated since 2003 on charges of Kidnapping, Aggravated Assault, Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, and Possession of Cocaine.

Sheriff Hardy requested that the Florida Department of Law Enforcement conduct an independent investigation of the incident. At this time the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Homicide Investigative Unit from the State Attorney’s Office, and the Medical Examiner’s Office are conducting joint and parallel investigations.