SHREVEPORT, La. - The hunt for a parish inmate who escaped from custody then reportedly was involved in a carjacking before crashing the vehicle is ongoing late Tuesday.
Sheriff Henry Whitehorn says he is at a loss as to where Tre'veon Jackson may be. But one thing he knows for sure: If anyone comes across him, don't approach him. Instead, call 911.
"Tre'veon Jackson should be considered armed and dangerous," Whitehorn emphasized at an afternoon news conference.
"Our priority is to locate Jackson as quickly and as safely as possible," Whitehorn added. "We have substantial resources committed to the search with out partners, and we will keep working until he is returned to custody. Because this is an active investigation there are certain details that we cannot release at this time. We will not speculate."
Jackson has been jailed since 2021 while he awaits trial for allegedly killing a man.
The search has been on for Jackson since Monday night at Ochsner LSU Health when he got away from a Caddo Parish sheriff's deputy who was preparing to place him in a transport van for return to the Caddo Correctional Center. The deputy chased Jackson, but he got away.
Somehow Jackson was able to make his way to Bossier City, where he carjacked a worker at a nearby hotel, taking that car then speeding way. That worker was injured but is recovering, Whitehorn said.
Bossier City police caught up with Jackson, prompting a chase reaching speeds up to 100 mph before he finally crashed out near U.S. Highway 80 and Interstate 20.
That triggered a massive manhunt -- that's still underway.
Searches during the day took law enforcement officers to a mobile home park and a residential subdivision along Highway 80 in the Haughton area. There were some calls from residents about attempted car break-ins in the vicinity.
Three Bossier Parish schools were placed on restricted movement at different times during the day based on leads that Jackson might be in the area. Those tips proved to be false and the schools returned to normal movement. School dismissals were not affected, spokeswoman Sonja Bailes said.
Multiple law enforcement agencies are assisting in the search, including the Caddo Parish Sheriff's Office, Bossier Parish Sheriff's Office, Shreveport Police Department, Bossier City Police Department, LSU Medical Center Police and the DeSoto Parish Sheriff's Office Air Patrol.
Bossier City police have issued an arrest warrant for Jackson in connection with the carjacking.
Facing 198 years in prison
Jackson has tried to get away from custody at least two previous times in his past.
The first happened in Ouachita Parish when he was 19. He was convicted in that parish in 2020 for simple robbery.
His most serious criminal accusations came in 2021. Jackson was arrested in two separate murders that happened two days apart.
He and three other men were indicted in November 2021 in the Aug. 12, 2021 death of Javoris Debouse and attempted deaths of two other men. Jackson was indicted alone in the Aug. 14, 2021 death of Horace J. Sparks.
However, Jackson is only pending prosecution in Sparks' death. The charges in the Debouse case were resolved on Oct. 15 with a plea to armed robbery, according to the district attorney's office.
The district attorney's office filed a habitual offender bill against Jackson on May 27. He faces 198 years in prison when sentenced.
Jackson has repeatedly sought continuances in that sentencing, most recently hiring a new attorney.
Jackson was last in court on Sept. 3, and is not expected to return until Jan. 5, according to Caddo court records.
The second-degree murder charge has not been resolved. The victim's family wants closure, whether by a plea or trial, the district attorney's office said.
A conviction in the case would carry a life sentence -- but would be tacked onto the 198 years he's already facing.
And while Jackson has been in jail, he was arrested for attempted simple escape in June 2022 for trying to run away from deputies -- also at the hospital.
Shreveport/Caddo Crime Stoppers is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to Jackson's arrest.
Ongoing investigation
Jackson was last seen wearing a white shirt, green shorts, and white shoes, with tight braids in his hair. It's possible he's changed clothes found in the stolen car, BCPD said.
Whitehorn said an investigation into potential lapses in administrative procedures and protocols within the sheriff's office will focus on whether there were violations with regards to how the situation was handled.
The sheriff did say during the news conference that Jackson may have needed support and help from two guards as opposed to just one deputy who was with him at the time of the incident. That is something that will be looked into as the investigation continues.