7 New Orleans jail escapees still loose since Friday

At least a dozen law enforcement agencies entered the third day of a manhunt on Sunday for seven of the 10 men who escaped from a New Orleans jail by fleeing through a hole behind a toilet.

Ten men broke out of a New Orleans jail Friday in an audacious overnight escape by fleeing through a hole behind a toilet and scaling a wall while the lone guard assigned to their cell pod was away getting food.

Seven of the escapees, including suspects charged with murder, remain on the lam following the breakout that the local sheriff says may have been aided by members within the department.

A spokesperson for the Louisiana State Police said that the agency was unable to provide details about the scope and target of the investigation for security reasons. The spokesperson added that a multiagency task force was scouring the region for the remaining fugitives.

In a separate statement, Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill said on Sunday her office’s “main priority remains recovering the prisoners, protecting the public, securing and stabilizing the facility staff, and building.”

At least one of the escaped inmates was captured based on a tip from the public, according to a statement from the FBI on the social media platform X. The reward for information leading to the capture of inmates still at large has been increased to $5,000 from the ATF in addition to $2,000 from Crimestoppers and $5,000 from the FBI.

The men range from 19 years old to 42, and face a variety of charges including aggravated assault, domestic abuse battery and murder. New Orleans Police Department Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick warned that the fugitives are dangerous in a news conference on Friday night but also urged the public “not to panic.”

Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson said the men were able to get out of the Orleans Justice Center because of “defective locks.” Hutson said she has continuously raised concerns about the locks to officials and, as recently as this week, advocated for money to fix the aged infrastructure.



(AP Photo)