Rusk ISD lifts lockdown after state hospital patient captured

RUSK – Rusk ISD schools briefly were on lockdown status Monday morning after an accused murderer reportedly escaped from Rusk State Hospital. According to our news partner KETK, Juan Carlos Vasquez Rojas has been at the hospital since September after he was arrested for felony murder in Harris County. Rojas reportedly escaped while being taken from one part of the hospital to another.

Schools in the area went on lockdown while the Rusk and Cherokee County law enforcement searched the area. Rojas was captured not long after and the lockdown was lifted. Liberty County district court sent Rojas to Rusk State Hospital for a competency assessment before he can stand trial for the murder charge.