Times Observer photo by Josh Cotton Gov. Josh Shapiro, center, meets Tuesday afternoon with Ron and Cindy Ecklund, right, whose tip resulted in the apprehension of jail escapee Michael Burham. They were joined on a visit to the banks of Jackson Run where they confronted Burham by, left, Maj. William Maitland, state police Area 1 Commander and Lt. Col. George Bivens, Pennsylvania State Police deputy commissioner of operations.

Pennsylvania State Police believe that Michael Burham was armed during his nine days on the run in the wake of his escape from the county jail.

Lt. Col. George Bivens, Pennsylvania State Police deputy commissioner of operations and Maj. William Maitland, state police Area 1 Commander, joined Gov. Josh Shapiro on his visit to the Ecklund home on Tuesday.

Bivens called it “amazing when people get involved” and be vigilant.

He said during the event that Burham did have two firearms out in the woods. The firearms themselves have not been discovered though ammunition has been found.

Maitland said that Burham told authorities he did not want to kidnap anyone again but instead wanted to steal a motorcycle.

He said that Burham told investigators he had not gone far from the jail for the first five days of the manhunt. However, he ran out of food and, as a result, started to move.

“I think we were real close on the first day,” Maitland said. “He had to be scavenging.”