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TEN MEN BROKE out of a New Orleans jail in an audacious overnight escape yesterday 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, authorities said.
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.
Surveillance footage, shared with media during a news conference, showed the escapees sprinting out of the facility – some wearing orange clothing and others in white.
They scaled a fence, using blankets to avoid being cut by barbed wire, and then some could be seen sprinting across the nearby interstate and into a neighbourhood.
A photograph obtained by The Associated Press from law enforcement shows the opening behind a toilet in a cell that the men escaped through. Above the hole are scrawled messages that include “To Easy LoL” with an arrow pointing at the gap.
Their breach went unnoticed for more than seven hours until a morning headcount revealed the missing inmates.
Officials later confirmed the escape was aided by defective locks and possibly inside help.
One inmate, Kendall Myles, was caught in the French Quarter after a short chase.
Two others – Robert Moody and Dkenan Dennis – were also apprehended by yesterday evening. The remaining escapees, aged 19 to 42, shed their uniforms and fled into nearby neighbourhoods.
The jail, which houses 1,400 inmates, has long suffered from staffing shortages and poor infrastructure.
Sheriff Susan Hutson said the facility is only 60% staffed, with persistent issues such as broken locks and unsecured housing for high-risk inmates.
The escape sparked widespread criticism from officials.
District Attorney Jason Williams called it “a complete failure,” and Attorney General Liz Murrill labelled the delay in public notification “beyond unacceptable.”
Three jail staff members have been suspended, and authorities are investigating whether any helped facilitate the escape.
One of the fugitives, Derrick Groves, was convicted of two murders linked to a 2018 Mardi Gras shooting and is considered dangerous.
Law enforcement has since been working with local and federal agencies to recapture the men and protect witnesses potentially at risk.
New Orleans police are also using facial recognition and a city-wide camera network to track the escapees.
The jail has been under federal oversight since 2013, following a court ruling declaring its conditions unconstitutional.
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