PITTSBURGH– A Florida murder suspect who was last seen in northern Alabama is dead following an encounter with police near Pittsburgh.
Steven Brooks, 45, was accused of murdering his landlord, 59-year-old Caroline Hicks, near Tampa, Florida, in February.
According to WHNT, Brooks was at the center of a three-hour standoff with police before he plowed through a blockade and led authorities on a chase.
Police searched a mile and a half area where Brooks was said to have run into the woods, but he escaped.
On April 12 around 11:25 p.m., state troopers in Washington County, Pennsylvania stopped Brooks near the Murtland Exit of Interstate 70 for erratic driving, according to a police release.
Upon making contact with Brooks’ vehicle, he drove off, and a chase ensued on Interstate 70 westbound in the eastbound lanes of travel.
Brooks vehicle traveled off the roadway into a concrete bridge pillar and came to a rest.
Then, Brooks proceeded to exit the vehicle, refused to respond to Troopers’ commands and began to flee on foot.
Brooks was able to scale a fence while Troopers remained in pursuit, and he displayed a firearm.
Troopers ordered Brooks to drop the weapon during the chase, and used deadly force to stop Brooks.
He was pronounced dead at the scene due to multiple gun shot wounds.
Florida court records show that Brooks has an extensive rap sheet and spent that last two decades in and out of prison, according to WHNT.
He was convicted of third-degree murder in 1991, and has been convicted on a number of violent felonies, grand theft, and escape.
Court filings from this month show that Brooks was behind on his rent and set to be evicted.
State Police at the Washington Station will hold a press conference later Friday morning to offer more information on the chase.
