North Carolina fugitive nabbed in Atlanta park

Atlanta Police arrested a man Tuesday afternoon who was wanted for trying to kill a police officer in Burlington, North Carolina.

Police said 25-year-old Andrey McLaughlin tried to blend in with locals at Woodruff Park in downtown Atlanta.

"Our team set up surveillance for a couple of days and was able to get a visual on him and take him into custody without incident," said Sgt. Warren Pickard, Atlanta Police Department.

McLaughlin was wanted for shooting at a trainee police officer in Burlington, North Carolina, about 350 miles northeast of Atlanta.

Police there told FOX 5 News the rookie officer was with a more experienced officer in the early morning hours of Friday, April 29. When they pulled over McLauglin for an expired tag and he bolted out of the car.

"And a short pursuit maybe a couple of hundred yards and when we got close to him he fired multiple rounds," said Lt. Chris Smith, with the Burlington Police Department.

Lt. Smith said the rookie officer was not hit or injured.

From North Carolina, McLaughlin made his way to Atlanta, police suspect either with a series of rides or arrived on a bus.

Atlanta police said she they were working with Burlington police and other agencies in tracking McLaughlin to Woodruff Park.

"We don't know why he chose Atlanta. We can't find any immediate contacts here. Our fugitive team, the FBI fugitive team, the Secret Service as well, played a part in locating him,” said Sgt. Pickard.

Police in Atlanta and Burlington told FOX 5 News they do not know each other personally, but professionally that is a different matter.

"Our officers were proud of themselves as they should be that we took a person like this off the street," said Sgt. Pickard.

"We may be stopping somebody for a just like Mr. Mcglaughlin for an expired tag. We never know what's going to happen," said Lt. Smith.

McLaughlin was taken to the Fulton County Jail where he is awaiting extradition back to North Carolina on an attempted murder charge.