One thought occupied the minds of Vicksburg police officers and Warren County sheriff’s deputies as they searched for Rafael McCloud Wednesday.

“I’m thinking about putting a bad guy back in jail and making sure the citizens are safe,” said sheriff’s deputy Rick McDaniel, who had been on duty since 6 a.m.

The same thought was running through Sgt. Jonathan Hern, another deputy.

“Catch the bad guy and put him back in jail where he belongs,” he said

Authorities began the manhunt for McCloud Wednesday before daylight, as soon as word got out he was on the lam.

Authorities said McCloud, 34, who is awaiting trial on capital murder and other offenses in the death of 69-year-old Sharen Wilson, overpowered a guard at the Warren County Jail and managed to leave the building through a side door.

Police and sheriff’s deputies spent most of the day following leads about McCloud that put him on Fort Hill Drive, North Washington Street, Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and other streets in areas where residents who had seen his mug shot either on line or on television reported his appearance.

At some spots, officers and deputies were seen parked on roadsides or patrolling areas looking and waiting for the fugitive to show himself.

“This is a very dangerous individual and we have apprehend him before he hurts somebody or himself,” Vicksburg police Lt. Milton Moore, who had also been on duty since 6 a.m., said as he sat in car in a parking area off Martin Luther King. “We’re going to leave no stone unturned until we find him.

McDaniel and his K-9 partner “Sassy,” deputy Jerry Davidson and Hern were parked on Martin Luther King by Beulah Cemetery forming part of a perimeter around the Martin Luther King/Sky Farm Road/ Alcorn Drive area as an infrared sensor-equipped Mississippi Highway Patrol helicopter flew overhead.

“We’re doing our job and doing it the best way possible to keep our citizens as safe as possible,” said Davidson.

And while sitting and waiting for the break that would result in the capture of McCloud may be frustrating, “It’s part of the job,” he said.

“That helicopter can see in those woods better than we can. We’re hoping it’ll flush him out,” said Vicksburg police Cpl. Russell Lewis as he sat in his unit not too far away on MLK from the deputies. The waiting, he said, was bearable. “It’s not too bad.”

McCloud’s escape was affecting police officer Joseph Stubbs, who patrols the city’s downtown area, in a different way.

Although word of the escape had people concerned, Stubbs said Wednesday was like any other day for him, although he had the added duty of passing out mug shots of McCloud, warning merchants to be careful and reminding them who to call if they saw McCloud.

“My job is to keep the merchants and their customer safe, and to be prepared to protect them if he should show up in the area,” he said. “I hope they do catch him for the safety of others. He’s already hurt one person, and she was a lady and an employee of a downtown store. She was a very good friend and I miss her.”