According to Cherokee County Sheriff Jeff Shaver, on Thursday evening, November 3, 2016, a burglary suspect was taken into custody after a manhunt that lasted several hours in the Leesburg area near Yellow Creek.  A home was burglarized that morning, and investigators were able to quickly identity the suspect as Justin Hopkins, 33, of Leesburg. While attempting to serve arrest warrants for Hopkins, the suspect fled in a vehicle and then ran into the woods.  

Deputies, investigators, and Leesburg Police set up a perimeter, and the tracking dogs from the Alabama Department of Corrections were called to assist.  Centre Police and the Etowah County Sheriff's Office aviation unit also joined the search.  Hopkins was located and taken into custody by investigators just before 8:00 p.m.  He was transported to the Cherokee County Detention Center and charged with third degree burglary, second degree theft of property, and attempting to elude.  Sheriff Shaver would like to thank the participating agencies for their help in locating this potentially dangerous suspect.