Zac Shock, looking none the worse for wear
WHITE/GALLATIN/HARDIN COs., Ill. - Illinois State Police officials have released more information about escaped inmate Zachary Shock, who was taken into custody in a rural Equality location in Gallatin County late last night.
ISP formally announced the arrest of Shock, 24 of McLeansboro, earlier this morning. Shock had been at large since three weeks ago today, Saturday, June 16, after he and two others - Justin Bray and Johnny E. Tipton Jr. - managed to crawl out of the White County Jail in an early-morning escape.
ISP stated that on the evening of Friday, July 6, a local resident reported he had observed an individual matching the description of one of the White County Jail escapees in southern Gallatin County. Officers from Illinois State Police District 19, Gallatin County Sheriff’s Department, Hardin County Sheriff’s Department, and Ridgway Police Department responded to the sighting.
The general area of White County (Carmi being where the jail is located) to the north, Gallatin to the south, giving perspective on how far Shock traveled
At approximately 10:23 p.m., two Illinois State Police District 19 officers located a male subject walking in the middle of Forest Road, two miles south of Equality, in rural Gallatin County. The male subject was identified as the escapee Shock and was taken into custody without incident.
At the time of his arrest, Shock was armed with a loaded handgun.
Shock was transported to the White County Jail for the Wanted on Warrant Escape charge. Additional charges may be filed.
ADDITIONAL: Here's what Hardin County Sheriff's Department down in Elizabethtown has added to the apprehension of Shock:
Working on a tip from a concern citizen that was reported to Hardin County Sheriff JT Fricker, White County Detention Center’s escaped inmate Zachary Shock was taken in to custody with out incident late Friday evening. Sheriff Fricker received a report of a possible sighting in a rural area near the Saline County/Gallatin County line. The caller advised Sheriff Fricker that he had spoken with a subject fitting the description of one of the escapes. The man had told the caller he was needing a ride to Hardin County. Sheriff Fricker contacted the US Marshals, who contacted Illinois State Police and Gallatin County Sheriff’s Department. The agencies, along with Ridgeway and Shawneetown Police Departments followed up on the information and were able to arrest Shock a short time later. The Sheriff’s Department and other agencies continue to search for Johnny Tipton. He was last seen wearing a ball cap, Camouflage shirt and pants, a black belt fanny pack and carrying a camouflage back pack near the Kedron Road area in Gallatin County.
And here's the input from White County Sheriff Doug Maier:
A citizens tip led to the apprehension of Zachary Shock in rural Gallatin County. Shock was reported to be walking along a rural road around 9 p.m. last night. Gallatin County Deputy Scott Sauls and two Illinois State Troopers responded to the area. Shock was located and placed under arrest with no incident. Shock did not attempt to run or resist, saying he was "giving up at this point."
Shock did have a firearm in his possession but advised officers of this and did not make any attempt to pull out the weapon. He advised this was only for his protection as he has been living in the forest for the last week. He advised he found the gun in a cabin along with some food and water.
Zachary Shock is being held in the White County Jail on Hamilton County charges of murder and White County charges of Escape. His bond is now $350,000 cash.
Johnny Tipton is still at large. He may still be in the same area where Shock was located. Gallatin County Sheriff, Hardin County Sheriff, and Illinois State Police still have a strong presence in the area.
Anyone with information about Tipton should notify law enforcement.
Others were arrested in conjunction with the escape; we're going to have a complete dissection of the entire thing start to finish - including information no other media in the area is bothering with - in the upcoming print version, on stands July 18, and available here at the e-Edition on the night of July 16. If you're not an online member, you can get started by clicking this link. Don't be uninformed...there's a lot about this situation that no one else dares bring you, but as usual, WE WILL.