Additional Coverage:
- Reward doubled as massive manhunt for seven New Orleans jail escapees enters third day (themirror.com)
NEW ORLEANS — The hunt for seven escaped inmates from a New Orleans jail has intensified, with the FBI now offering a $10,000 reward per inmate for information leading to their capture. The escape, which occurred early Tuesday morning, involved the inmates exploiting a hole behind a toilet after pulling a defective cell door off its tracks.
Three of the seven escapees have been apprehended, including one found hiding under a car in a French Quarter hotel garage. Authorities believe the remaining fugitives may be receiving assistance from the public and are warning that anyone aiding them will face arrest. The FBI, along with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and CrimeStoppers, are offering a combined reward total of $17,000 for information leading to the capture of all the escapees.
The inmates, ranging in age from 19 to 42, are facing serious charges, including aggravated assault, domestic abuse battery, and murder. Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson has stated that faulty locks were a factor in the escape and that she has repeatedly requested funds to address the aging infrastructure of the Orleans Justice Center. While urging the public to remain vigilant, New Orleans Police Department Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick has also cautioned against panic.