Police say a group of 10 inmates – which include convicted killers – are ‘armed and dangerous‘ and should not be approached after a shock mass escape from a prison. One of the men, 20-year-old Kendall Myles, was caught in New Orleans today but 10 other men remain at large.
Authorities said the inmates were unaccounted for during a headcount at the Orleans Justice Center prison this morning. They include at least three murderers and several people convicted of attempted murder.
Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson said his department was working with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies to search for the escapees, adding: “We are launching a full investigation to determine how this escape occurred, including reviewing facility protocols, staff performance and physical security measures.”
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Amount of time it took to realise prisoners were missing ‘extremely concerning’
Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill, a Republican, has questioned why it took so long for officials at the prison to realise the inmates had escaped.
She told Fox News that while the 11 inmates were understood to have escaped “around midnight”, it was not until a bed check the next morning that guards discovered several men were missing.
Mrs Murrill added: “That gap in the reporting time is extremely concerning.
“It’s my understanding that they were identified as missing at a bed check, so there is a discrepancy… in terms of when they were identified as missing and when law enforcement were notified.”
She also said that it was her “gut” feeling that the escapees “probably had help” from inside the prison, a line of enquiry earlier mentioned by New Orleans Sheriff Susan Hutson.
Faulty locks blamed for escape
In a press conference this afternoon, New Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson said faulty locks had allowed inmates to escape their cells – and it should be “almost impossible for anyone to get out of this facility without help from the outside.”
She told reporters: “Folks are normally locked down in this facility at 10.30pm, but these folks who were able to get out did so because of defective locks on the cells.
“I’ve talked about those locks since I’ve got into office”, she added, stressing that she believed there were “deficiencies in these facilities that cause public safety concerns.”
Kendell Myles was serving sentence for concealing a weapon
Myles – the only prisoner as yet to be caught – was in prison for concealing a weapon, it has been confirmed.
He was captured today after being pursued by police on foot, who had been alerted by a facial recognition camera placed in the centre of New Olreans.
Following a chase, he was found hiding under a car at the Hotel Monteleone car park.
Two were in jail for carrying a weapon
Another two of the escapees, 26-year-old Lenton Venburen and 32-year-old Leo Tate, were serving sentences for illegal carrying of a weapon.
Tate was also convicted of burglary.
Another murderer is among escapees
Jermaine Donald is one of the 10 prisoners still on the loose in Louisiana.
The 42-year-old was in jail for murder and aggravated battery.
Domestic abuser is one of the escaped prisoners
Antoine Massey, 32, was jailed for domestic abuse and theft, but is currently on the run after taking part in today’s prison break.
Escapee had been found guilty of attempted murder
Gary Price, a 21-year-old who had been convicted of three counts of attempted murder, is among the 10 men still at large today.
Another prisoner on the run was serving time for murder
Corey Boyd was serving a sentence for murder, attempted murder and aggravated battery when he escaped from the Orleans Justice Center prison this morning.
Murderer among the escapees
Derrick Groves, 27, who was jailed for murder and attempted murder, is among the escapees.
Who are the escaped inmates?
The suspects who remain at large have been named as Antoine Massey, Lenton Vanburen, Leo Tate, Derrick Groves, Jermaine Donald, Corey Boyd, Gary Price, Robert Moody, Dkenan Dennis and Keith Lewis.
Another man, 20-year-old Kendell Myles, has been caught.
‘This is an urgent and serious situation’
That’s how New Orleans Police Department Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick described the situation in a press conference this afternoon, as she urged members of the public to help officers catch the 10 prisoners.
A violent offender warrant squad is currently involved in the search operation, along with the FBI and US Marshals.
She said: “This is an urgent and a serious situation. Please be mindful. We know or have asked for pictures of these escapees from the sheriff’s office. We do also want to make I appeal to the public that if you see something, and you just think this is not right, don’t hesitate. Call 911.”
Police have also issued a reminder that anyone found to be sheltering the escaped men will be committing a criminal offence.
Inmates left hole in jail cell and wrote ‘catch us when you can’
A photograph shared by local media in Louisiana shows the hole where prisoners are understood to have escaped overnight.
The image shows the large gap in the wall accompanied by a string of taunts targeted at prison guards, including: “To Easy LOL,” “Catch us when you can,” “We innocent,” “Most Hated,” along with some explicit messages.
One suspect caught using face recognition software
Facial recognition software was used to track down one of the escapees, New Orleans Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick said.
Kendall Myles, 20, is the only one of the 11 men to have been caught so far.
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