The Manhunt is over: Branscome caught in Texas

Police say the manhunt is over. Steven Branscome, who police say shot a Virginia State Trooper, was found at a hotel in Texas on Sunday morning. He had been on the run for more than a week.

“His career of crime is done. It’s over with,” said G. Wayne Pike with the U.S. Marshals.

Just before 1 a.m. central time, police in Texas arrested Branscome in a hotel in New Boston. The U.S. Marshal SWAT team took him into custody after a brief standoff.

Now, officials look relieved to know Branscome isn’t a threat anymore.

Officials from multiple agencies gather at the Floyd County Courthouse to explain how it went downhill for Branscome using advanced tracking methods.

“Through a lot of technological aspects and tricks of the trade put this guy in the locations out there to verify where he was,” said Pike.

Another Marshal, William Fallon, said they kept an eye out for a stolen church van from North Carolina.

“Once we determined the general area where he was, we sent some teams out in Eastern Texas from our district there to look for that vehicle, hoping he still had that van that we thought he stole from North Carolina,” said Fallon.

Back in Floyd County, where Branscome grew up, some say they were never worried, while others are now relieved.

“You never know who he’ll go after, you know. Somebody like that’s desperate,” said Matt Beckett.

Niki Bain said, “I think [police] blew it out of proportion. They made him into something he’s really not.”

Regardless, Branscome now faces charges in three states, including malicious wounding of a state trooper.