Murphy – Cherokee County Transport Detention Officer Francisco Flattes was shot in his chest when he was killed in the line of duty while escorting an inmate to a medical appointment in Peachtree on June 30, according to 911 records.
The records, sent to the Cherokee Scout following a Freedom of Information Act request for documents, shed some light on the chaotic hour when Flattes was shot and his alleged murderer led law enforcement on an hour-long chase across three counties.
A federal inmate shot and killed Flattes, 56, and assaulted Detention Officer George Feinauer, who was also injured but not by gunfire and was expected to recover. Kelvin Simmons, 49, of Concord, was charged with first-degree murder and may face additional federal charges, according to District Attorney Ashley Welch.
This was Simmons’ second escape attempt since October, when the federal prisoner being held for a string of bank robberies across the state scaled a fence topped with razor wife. He was captured a short time later with severe lacerations.
Simmons faced a string of federal bank robbery charges plus new charges of felony escape and resisting a public officer from his October escape attempt and, now, first-degree murder. The homicide and escape are being investigated by the State Bureau of Investigation.
On June 30, officers Flattes and Feinauer were escorting Simmons to an appointment with an orthopedist at 75 Medical Park Lane relating to injuries from Simmons’ 2024 escape attempt.
Although many details have not been made public, official announcements at the time indicate Simmons overpowered the two detention officers and shot Flattes. While the 911 records don’t say whose gun Simmons used, it did say that one detention officer was shot in his chest.
The 911 records also describe initial responses and the chase leading to Simmons being recaptured in Macon County.
Multiple agencies were alerted of the shooting, including the FBI, SBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, N.C. Highway Patrol, Murphy Police Department and sheriff’s offices in Cherokee, Clay and Macon counties. Two ambulances were also dispatched to the scene, and a Life Flight helicopter was dispatched but not needed.
“Shots fired,” the dispatch log recorded at 2:12 p.m. June 30, followed by “Active assailant (shooter),” two minutes later.
Law enforcement swarmed the area, with many remaining on scene to secure the area and many joining the chase as Simmons attempted to escape in a Chevrolet Cruze he stole from a patient at the medical office.
Simmons reversed direction during the chase as officers deployed “stop sticks” – devices used to deflate tires – along the route.
Officers also attempted to drive into Simmons’ escape vehicle. At one point, stop sticks were deployed again, this time successfully, with the 911 recording tires deflating and then coming apart.
“Continuing east slowed sun has gun to head,” the record said.
“No other occupants in the vehicle, just the susp,” it said.
“Got the susp stopped, got him gunpoint, correction at gun point, barricaded inside the veh officer has suspended at gun point, west Old Murphy Rd. Macon Co.,” the records said.
The Highway Patrol reported a standoff with all agencies on scene in Macon County. Macon requested their units to bring ballistic shields.
“Shots fired,” according to the log.
Finally, at 3:11 p.m., about an hour after the shooting, Simmons was taken into custody. He was taken to a local hospital for complaint about foot pain, according to a news conference later that day.
Simmons did not return to the Cherokee County Detention Center in Murphy, where Flattes and his wife worked. Instead, he was taken to the Buncombe County Detention Center near Asheville, where he remains and is being held without bail.