A massive manhunt is underway following a jail break on Friday in New Orleans. Ten fugitives escaped in the dead of night, and law enforcement has only recovered four of them.
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According to a report by Today, ten inmates escaped New Orleans Jail on Friday, May 16, at around 1:00 AM. They reportedly broke through a cell door with a faulty lock and escaped through a hole in the wall. After that, the escapees made a mad dash across the highway before changing out of their prison uniforms and fleeing the scene. The inmates reportedly mocked the police with messages scrawled around the hole. Footage revealed by the outlet shows the messages “WE INNOCENT” and “To Easy Lol” scribbled on the wall. Authorities had charged several of the escapees with murder or attempted murder.
In an interview, Col. Robert Hodges of the Louisiana State Police Department said, “We have actionable intelligence on all seven of those fugitives. And we hope in the coming days, if not the coming hours, that we have them all apprehended.”
Authorities Believe The Fugitives Have Help
During the interview, Hodges explained, “They have friends and family members who are helping them. And concealing them and helping them move.” To make matters worse, Sheriff Susan Hutson believes the fugitives had assistance from inside the prison. In an interview, she said, “It’s almost impossible, not completely, but almost impossible for anybody to get out of this facility without help from the outside.” Today also reveals that three employees at the Jail are on administrative leave following the incident.
According to the New York Post, authorities believe some of the fugitives may have fled the city or state. The hole in the wall reportedly could not have been made from inside the prison. It remains unclear if the breach was already present or if the inmates somehow created it.
On Monday, the LA State Police posted on social media that they arrested the fourth escapee, 21-year-old Gary C. Price. A previous post by the organization explains that a reward for information on each suspect was $5000. That number increased to $10,000 and was boosted again yesterday to $20,000.