logo
New Orleans authorities confident they'll recapture 7 jail escapees still at large

New Orleans authorities confident they'll recapture 7 jail escapees still at large

Yahoo19-05-2025

May 19 (UPI) -- Authorities in New Orleans are expressing confidence they will apprehend the remaining seven of 10 escaped inmates on the loose as they increase the reward for information on the whereabouts of the fugitives.
"We're confident at this time that we have actionable intelligence on all seven of these fugitives, and we hope in the coming day -- if not the coming hours -- that we have them all apprehended," Louisiana State Police Superintendent Col. Robert Hodges told reporters Sunday in a press conference.
Ten detainees escaped police custody at the Orleans Parish jail early Friday, sparking a manhunt that has so far led to the recapture of three of them.
A reward was offered for information resulting in any of their arrests, which was increased to $20,000 Sunday, with the FBI doubling its reward to $10,000 per inmate, while both the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Crime Stoppers were each increasing their rewards to $5,000 an inmate.
"We need the public's help and we cannot do it alone," Hodges said. "More importantly, if you are helping and assisting these fugitives, allowing them to remain uncaptured and not brought to justice, there will be consequences and there may be charges for you."
Hodges emphasized that the recapture of these inmates occurred within the first 24 hours of their escape due to help from the public. Dkenan Dennis, 24, Kendell Myles, 23, and a 15-year-old male, have been relocated to another Louisiana state facility for their safety and the safety of others, Hodges said.
The seven inmates who remain at large have been identified as Corey Boyd, 19, Derrick Groves, 27, Jermaine Donald, 42, Lenton VanBuren, 26, Antoine Massey, 32, Leo Tate, 31, and Gary Price, 21.
"These are violent criminals and they escaped and they have consequences for their actions," Hodges said.
FBI New Orleans Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Tapp told reporters they "strongly believe" the escaped inmates are receiving help to evade capture.
The Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office said jail officials discovered the breakout at 8:30 a.m. local Friday during a routine headcount.
It was learned that the detainees were able to exit Thursday night due to "defective locks and doors," it said.
They next broke through a locked cell door at about 12:23 a.m. Friday before breaching a wall behind a toilet in their housing unit and then exiting the jail through a door at about 1 a.m., scaled a wall and fled across the interstate.
Three staff members have been suspended without pay amid an internal investigation into facility operations and supervision practices in connection to the escape, the sheriff's office said.
More than 200 officers with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies are participating in the manhunt.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Pr. George's police chief is a finalist for a job in Phoenix
Pr. George's police chief is a finalist for a job in Phoenix

Washington Post

time33 minutes ago

  • Washington Post

Pr. George's police chief is a finalist for a job in Phoenix

The city of Phoenix said Wednesday that Prince George's County Police Chief Malik Aziz is a finalist in its nationwide search for someone to lead the police department in Arizona's largest city. The news circulated among Aziz's officers in Maryland, many of whom learned of the chief's job search from a Phoenix news release announcing him as one of three finalists. The Prince George's County Police Department declined to comment. The news of Aziz's potential departure comes as Aisha N. Braveboy (D) prepares to take over as Prince George's County executive on Juneteenth. Braveboy, who has served as state's attorney since 2019, was elected to the role in early June after the job was vacated mid-term by Angela Alsobrooks (D), now a U.S. senator. It is not uncommon for new county executives to bring in their own Cabinet members or hire new people into key leadership roles. As the top law enforcement officials in Prince George's County, Braveboy and Aziz worked alongside each other since 2021, when he was hired to reform the police department amid nationwide calls for racial justice and police accountability. 'As states attorney my office had a good working relationship with Chief Aziz,' Braveboy said in a statement Wednesday. 'I wish him the best.' Acting county executive Tara Jackson said in a statement that Aziz 'has done an outstanding job leading our police department through challenging times.' At a recent news conference, Aziz touted an overall decrease in crime, with total crime down 16 percent compared with this time last year. His annual summer crime initiative is in full swing, which focuses on crime reduction and community engagement during the summer months. A Texas native, Aziz came to Maryland after decades in law enforcement in Dallas, where he garnered a national reputation as an advocate for community policing and reform. He had served as the national chair of the National Black Police Association and worked on President Barack Obama's task force on 21st century policing in 2015. He advocated for the Justice Department to collect annual demographic statistics from all police agencies to hold them accountable for diversifying their command ranks, according to the task force's final report. Alsobrooks hired Aziz in March 2021 and instructed him to overhaul a department that has long had a contentious relationship with county residents. He took over as the nation and the county were grappling with the Black Lives Matter movement and widespread calls for reform. He vowed to build a strong relationship with reform advocates and community partners. Tamara McKinney, vice president of the Heels Off Gloves On Boxing Foundation, said Aziz once showed up to a boxing ring to support the organization. When he noticed a young boxer was without boxing shoes, he found a sponsor to assist the group. They were able to buy 16 to 18 pairs of shoes for boxers who couldn't afford the equipment, McKinney said. 'I think he made a concerted effort to change the mind of the community about having such a negative outlook on police,' McKinney said. Before coming to Prince George's, Aziz had been a finalist for chief positions in cities across the country, including Milwaukee, Miami and his hometown of Dallas, where he last served as deputy chief of the Dallas Police Department. Phoenix officials said the three finalists will speak at a public forum on Monday. City officials said they hope to announce the new chief in July.

Peninsula man honors son killed in line of duty by helping underserved youth
Peninsula man honors son killed in line of duty by helping underserved youth

CBS News

time41 minutes ago

  • CBS News

Peninsula man honors son killed in line of duty by helping underserved youth

New East Palo Alto sports field opens to honor officer killed in line of duty New East Palo Alto sports field opens to honor officer killed in line of duty New East Palo Alto sports field opens to honor officer killed in line of duty A Peninsula man has turned his grief into a catalyst for good. After his police officer son was killed nearly 20 years ago in the line of duty, he created a positive outlet for the community's youth. When Dr. Frank Merrill looks onto an East Palo Alto field, he sees more than afternoon rugby practice. "The dream for us was to make a difference, to give kids an opportunity they didn't have," he said. That dream came out of a nightmare. His step-son, East Palo Alto police officer Rich May, was shot to death by a parolee in 2006. During the trial, the defense argued that the lack of positive activities for youth contributed to the shooter's criminal history. After sentencing, Merrill got to thinking about what he could do for underserved young people. "I can't solve world hunger. I can't solve world peace. I can't change families. I can't do a lot of things, but I can given them a field to play on," said the retired veterinarian. So Merrill and his late wife, Clarice, set out to build a field to create something positive and honor Rich May, who was passionate about serving kids in the Police Activities League. "He was never one of those people who would try to fight the world. He was going to make it a better place by being amenable to working with people," Merrill said. The state-of-the-art Rich May Memorial Field opened in 2015. The Merrills and their supporters raised $2 million, mostly in private donations, and overcame years of obstacles. "When the lights came up, that was the most glorious thing I'd seen in years and years and years," Merrill recalled. Today, 700 young people use the field each day. In fact, it's so well-used that the Rich May Foundation, which Merrill started in 2017, is trying to raise a million dollars to replace the turf on the field. Under a unique operating agreement, the Rich May Foundation manages the field that is owned by the St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church and Ravenswood School District. Rich May Field is home to the East Palo Alto Razorhawks Rugby Club. The club's grateful for the affordable rental fee, at $50 an hour, a fraction of the going rate. Coach Vaea Sanft says having a home base is a win for membership. "The last three years has doubled every year," Sanft said. "Now to have a field we can call our own: It's a blessing for these kids, and we really appreciate it." East Palo Alto Police Chief Jeff Liu, who was a good friend of Rich May, says the community also scores in crime prevention. Enriching activities on the field help create a community of good citizens. "It took a community to bring this together, and Frank was a catalyst behind that. He was the inspiration and he was the driving force to make that happen," Liu said. "They don't even realize it. They're learning good behavior and it's just good," Merrill said. "It needs to be celebrated, Frank needs to be celebrated," stated Liu. So, for building the Rich May Memorial field to foster healthy recreational opportunities, this week's CBS News Bay Area ICON Award goes to Dr. Frank Merrill.

Man indicted on charges from pipe bomb explosions
Man indicted on charges from pipe bomb explosions

Yahoo

time43 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Man indicted on charges from pipe bomb explosions

Jun. 11—A federal grand jury indicted a Hamilton County man Wednesday on federal crimes related to explosive devices. Robert Gilb, 50, of Green Twp., allegedly detonated three improvised explosive devices, or pipe bombs, in Hamilton and Butler counties in March and April. He was arrested Tuesday by the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force. He possessed an unregistered destructive device and transporting explosive materials, the press release says. "This alleged activity posed a serious risk to public safety. The FBI worked closely with our law enforcement partners to neutralize this potential danger and protect the community." Hamilton County Sheriff's deputies were dispatched to Miami Twp. for a report of a loud explosion. What appeared to be a blast crater and components of an improvised explosive device were found, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office. The FBI investigation revealed there were two previous incidents in Morgan Twp. in Butler County that appeared to have had similar characteristics to the incident in Miami Twp. Butler County Sheriff's deputies responded to incidents March 23 and March 28. The FBI said witnesses saw Gilb in a white BMW near the site of at least one of the locations of the explosion. Gilb is charged with three counts of possessing an unregistered destructive device and three counts of transporting explosive materials. Each charge is punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store