The final remaining fugitive from the Orleans Parish Jail breakout has been captured, closing a five-month nationwide manhunt that uncovered deep cracks in New Orleans’ jail system — and became a meme-fueled saga on-line.

After practically 5 months on the run, Derrick “Woo” Groves, the final fugitive from the notorious Might 2025 New Orleans jail escape, was captured in Atlanta this afternoon (October 8). This was following a tense SWAT standoff that introduced an finish to certainly one of Louisiana’s costliest manhunts in many years.

Groves, 31, had been on the run for 145 days after escaping the Orleans Parish Jail alongside 9 different inmates. Authorities say the group exploited a defective cell door. Thus, slicing via steel bars earlier than scaling a razor-wire fence. Consequently, it was the most important breakout the ability has seen in over thirty years.

The Louisiana Division of Corrections spent greater than $1 million in additional time, surveillance, and reward cash through the manhunt. So, Groves’ eventual seize marks the ultimate chapter in a saga that embarrassed native officers and captivated social media.

The dramatic video of his arrest — filmed by Atlanta information crews and police — exhibits Groves shirtless, handcuffed, and smirking as he’s escorted out of a suburban residence. In a single second, he seems to blow a kiss on the cameras earlier than being loaded right into a patrol automobile. Due to this fact, unbothered after practically half a yr of evasion.

Contained in the Escape: How It All Started

The breakout occurred on Might 16, when ten inmates slipped out of the Orleans Justice Middle in the course of the night time. Jail officers later confirmed {that a} malfunctioning cell door and lax supervision made the escape potential — a system failure worsened by workers shortages and outdated safety infrastructure.

Groves was already serving time for 2 counts of second-degree homicide. It was tied to a 2018 Mardi Gras capturing that left two individuals lifeless and several other others injured. His prison report and alleged gang ties made him probably the most harmful of the fugitives. Consequently, he was probably the most wished.

Over the next months, all 9 of his co-escapees have been caught in numerous Southern states. 4 have been present in Louisiana, two in Texas, and two extra in Florida. Groves, nonetheless, managed to vanish utterly. Due to this fact, resulting in nationwide hypothesis about how he stayed forward of legislation enforcement.

By late summer season, the U.S. Marshals Service had upped the reward for info resulting in his arrest to $250,000, and on-line theories claimed he’d fled the nation. However the fact was less complicated — and extra ironic: he’d been hiding in Atlanta. The irony being it is among the most surveilled cities within the nation.

The Tip That Introduced Him Down

In response to officers, Groves’ seize got here after a tip from a New Orleans affiliate, who acknowledged him whereas visiting Atlanta. Police say Groves had been residing quietly on town’s southwest facet, working odd jobs and utilizing aliases.

Atlanta SWAT and the U.S. Marshals surrounded a small residence on Continental Manner round 11 AM, deploying flashbangs earlier than coming into. Groves barricaded himself briefly however finally surrendered with out violence round 1 PM.

He was transported to the Fulton County Jail earlier than being extradited to New Orleans, the place he now faces extra prices for escape, resisting arrest, and illegal evasion — offenses that would add one other 50 years to his sentence.

District Legal professional Jason Williams, who prosecuted Groves’ 2018 homicide case, referred to as the arrest a “main aid” and admitted to having “real concern” when Groves first escaped. “This was a harmful man,” Williams mentioned. “Our neighborhood can breathe simpler understanding he’s off the streets.”

Why Atlanta?

Groves’ resolution to conceal out in Atlanta sparked widespread ridicule on-line. Regulation enforcement sources consider he selected town due to current household connections and its giant transient inhabitants, which made it simpler to mix in.

However on X (previously Twitter), customers wasted no time roasting his alternative. Atlanta’s status as “the world’s worst place to cover from the web” turned the working joke.

“Of all locations to cover, this man actually picked Atlanta,” one put up learn, racking up over 600 likes.

One other person quipped, “You’ll be able to’t breathe unsuitable in Atlanta with out anyone filming it — he was doomed.”

Others turned the seize into meme materials, joking that Groves’ mistake was “underestimating Ratlanta’s snitch-to-population ratio.”

Regardless of the humor, some posts revealed admiration for the way lengthy he stayed free. “145 days is wild tho,” one person wrote. “He nearly made it to Thanksgiving.”

The Video That Broke the Web

The brief video that accompanied Groves’ seize rapidly turned a viral clip throughout platforms. Initially aired by WWL-TV New Orleans, the 19-second montage exhibits legislation enforcement in tactical gear surrounding the suburban residence.

As Groves emerges, shirtless and calm, officers escort him previous armored autos and towards a police van. A “NOW IN CUSTODY” chyron flashes onscreen because the reporter’s voice confirms his identification.

The second he turns to the digital camera and smirks — even blowing a kiss — turned the footage into on the spot meme gold. Dozens of posts used the clip for response movies, with one captioned: “When you realize they caught you however your playlist nonetheless hittin’.”

Others identified the absurdity of his confidence after a homicide conviction. “Bro actually thought he was on a crimson carpet,” one remark mentioned.

The Fallout for New Orleans Officers

Groves’ escape reignited criticism of New Orleans’ jail system, which has been tormented by mismanagement and corruption scandals for years. The Orleans Parish facility has reported over 30 escape makes an attempt since 2018, prompting a federal evaluate earlier this yr.

A corrections officer was later charged with aiding the Might escape after investigators found safety footage displaying her disabling a door alarm. Her trial is pending.

In the meantime, Mayor LaToya Cantrell promised new oversight, asserting that an impartial audit of the jail’s infrastructure is already underway.

“This was a failure of techniques, not simply individuals,” Cantrell mentioned. “We owe it to the households of victims and to the general public to make sure one thing like this by no means occurs once more.”

Public Response: From Outrage to Irony

By the afternoon of Groves’ seize, the story had dominated social media feeds, amassing over 500,000 views inside hours. However quite than outrage, the dominant tone was exhaustion — and humor.

Many customers mocked the truth that it took practically half a yr and 7 states to catch a person who ended up “hiding in plain sight.” Others used the arrest as a referendum on systemic failure, arguing that such escapes present how little progress has been made in Louisiana’s correctional system.

Nonetheless, a couple of posts praised legislation enforcement for a clear seize. “Nobody harm, no photographs fired, and the final fugitive caught — that’s a win,” one wrote.

But for each severe take, there have been ten jokes. “They gon’ make a Netflix documentary outta this by subsequent month,” one reply mentioned. One other meme confirmed Groves’ smirk photoshopped onto a “Quick & Livid” poster: Too Free, Too Livid.

What Occurs Subsequent

Groves was booked into Fulton County Jail earlier than being extradited to Louisiana, the place he faces new federal prices on prime of his current life sentence with out parole. Officers confirmed he’s now being held in solitary confinement underneath 24-hour surveillance.

He’ll reportedly be transferred to a high-security federal facility as soon as proceedings are full — removed from the Orleans Parish Jail that failed to carry him.

For New Orleans, Groves’ seize ends one of many metropolis’s most embarrassing chapters in latest reminiscence. For the web, although, it’s one other viral second immortalized in memes and punchlines.