(WDRB+WAVE/WKYT) — A man who was the focus of a manhunt in Breckinridge County on Wednesday is now in custody, according to the Breckinridge County Sheriff’s Office.
Authorities had been searching for 45-year-old Lester Lamont Perks since Wednesday morning after police said he was seen smashing vehicle windshields with a hammer in Irvington. Police had warned that Perks should be considered armed and dangerous.
The search prompted a shelter-in-place in Irvington, the cancellation of classes for Breckinridge County Schools and the closure of Irvington city government operations Wednesday.
The sheriff’s office announced early Thursday that Perks had been taken into custody.
His arrest comes after a separate incident overnight in Irvington in which police said an officer was shot at while driving a patrol vehicle.
According to Irvington Police, the officer was on patrol near Eva Carman Drive around 12:50 a.m. Thursday when someone fired at the officer. The incident happened near Lon Dowell Road and North Second Street.
Police said the shooter ran away on foot and was believed to have a handgun. Residents were told to stay inside and lock their doors as law enforcement maintained a heavy presence in the city.
The City of Irvington confirmed that both yesterday and the overnight incidents were tied to Perks.
Perks had also been the subject of an active arrest warrant issued in August. Court records show he was released from the Hardin County Detention Center on Sept. 4 despite that warrant.
Additional information about Perks’ arrest and the search for the person who fired at the officer was not immediately available.
This story will be updated as more information becomes available.