DeSoto County, Mississippi: Escaped prisoner Joshua Zimmerman barricaded himself in a restaurant at 2325 West Madison Street: US Marshals

CHICAGO (WLS) — An escaped prisoner from Mississippi barricaded himself in a restaurant on Chicago's Near West Side on Tuesday night, the U.S. Marshals Service said.

Joshua Zimmerman is wanted for murder and armed robbery. There is a murder warrant out for his arrest in Harris County, Texas.

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Zimmerman escaped from the DeSoto County District Court building in Mississippi on June 14.

He is currently barricaded at 2325 West Madison Street and is surrounded by a Chicago SWAT team, the U.S. Marshals Service confirmed shortly before 8 p.m.

Authorities said Zimmerman was alone in the restaurant and no innocent civilians were in danger.

The U.S. Marshals Service is offering a reward of up to $10,000 for Zimmerman's capture.

Zimmerman is described as being 6' tall and weighing about 200 pounds. He has tattoos on his neck and arms and is said to have shaved off his beard since his escape.

DeSoto County officials held a press conference Tuesday evening. A spokesperson emphasized that further details on the current situation in Chicago are being handled by the Marshals Service and the Chicago Police Department, as they are outside of local jurisdiction.

The investigation into Zimmerman's escape was extensive and was supported by federal, state and local authorities.

“We have worked hard for 68 days with various organizations to close this case,” the spokesperson noted. “We thank the public for their patience as we intentionally kept the details private to avoid the spread of misinformation.”

Officials said they remained focused on extradition plans and hoped for a speedy resolution.

“We are keen to return Zimmerman to our detention facility so that we can thoroughly investigate the circumstances of his escape,” the spokesman said.

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The spectacular case has attracted a great deal of media attention. Major networks and public figures such as Dog the Bounty Hunter are closely following developments. The spokesman acknowledged the widespread interest in the case and said: “This is a significant event and we are determined to bring it to a successful conclusion.”

The U.S. Marshals Service has asked anyone with information to call the tip line at 1-800-336-0102 or visit https://www.usmarshals.gov/what-we-do/fugitive-investigations/submitting-a-tip.

ABC News contributed to this report.