That was close. The madman was two or three miles from the Canadian border when they finally caught him. But after the better part of a month on the run, David Sweat has been shot and taken into custody by law enforcement officials in New York. The down side is that he was still breathing when he went into the hospital, but the number of cops at the hospital in Malone, NY is probably twice the total staff of doctors and nurses in the facility on a Sunday afternoon. Sweat isn’t going anywhere even if he survives to come out of the hospital.

Police have captured convicted murderer David Sweat, who escaped from a maximum security prison in upstate New York more than three weeks ago, three officials told ABC News.

Sweat is “under the control of law enforcement,” the officials said.

Clinton County Sheriff Dave Favro told ABC News that Sweat is wounded.

His accomplice, Richard Matt, was shot and killed by a border patrol SWAT team Friday afternoon in Elephant’s Head, New York, just 50 miles away from the prison, after he was spotted by a law enforcement officer walking in the woods.

Sweat was reportedly shot twice by a New York State Trooper (well done!) but survived the encounter to be taken to a local hospital in Malone. Some of you may recall the local connection I have to this case when I wrote about how this was absolutely not The Shawshank Redemption. I won’t deny that I’ll be a bit disappointed if Sweat actually makes it out of the hospital and back to the prison alive, but I also understand that the cops had to follow the rules. Strangely, Sweat’s original murder of the deputy took place not very far from where I live and the place where they finally caught him was probably a couple of days walk to the east of where members of our family camp up in the north country near the border. Needless to say, it’s a tremendous relief to know that he’s finally been taken down.

Given the details of this criminal’s long history I don’t feel too guilty in saying that I wish that he’d met the same terminal end that his partner did earlier this week, but having him back in custody is still far better than wondering where he is. Will provide some updates if merited as the situation develops, but for now it’s good to know that his run is over.

UPDATE: (Jazz) First photo of Sweat as the cops cuffed him in the field, now slightly perforated.

Looks like somebody has a boo boo.

UPDATE: (Jazz) Local media reporting that the NY State Police trooper who shot Sweat was Jay Cook. (sp?) Waiting for more details.