- Teen murder suspect Shane Pryor has been captured and is now being held by the Philadelphia Police Department Homicide Unit after escaping from a hospital.
- Pryor was in custody for a fatal shooting that occurred in 2020 and had been transported to the hospital due to a hand injury.
- His defense attorney argues Pryor’s innocence and suggests his escape was driven by the court’s decision to try him as an adult. An alleged accomplice, Michael Diggs, has also been arrested.
Additional Coverage:
- US Marshals capture escaped teenage murder suspect (abcnews.go.com)
A teenage murder suspect who escaped from a hospital last Wednesday has been captured, according to the Philadelphia Police Department. Shane Pryor, 17, was taken into custody by the U.S. Marshals Service and is now being held at the Philadelphia Police Department Homicide Unit. No further details have been released at this time.
Pryor had been in custody for a fatal shooting that occurred in 2020. He escaped from the Juvenile Justice Services Center staff at a hospital on Wednesday. Deputy Commissioner of Investigations Frank Vanore explained at a news conference that Pryor escaped from the emergency room parking lot of Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. He had been transported there from the Juvenile Justice Services Center due to a hand injury.
According to court documents, Pryor was charged with murder for the shooting of Tanya Harris in October 2020. He was 14 years old at the time, but the courts later decided to try him as an adult. Pryor claimed that he solicited the victim for sex but another man shot her, as stated in the court documents.
Pryor’s defense attorney, Paul DiMaio, argued that his client is innocent and suggested that his escape was driven by the court’s decision to try him as an adult. DiMaio expressed concerns that Pryor wouldn’t receive a fair trial.
On Friday, police arrested Michael Diggs, an 18-year-old believed to be Pryor’s accomplice. Diggs was allegedly the getaway driver for Pryor and now faces multiple felony charges.
After escaping custody, Pryor was seen on surveillance footage entering a building at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and attempting to use an employee’s cellphone. When denied, he left and later used a civilian’s phone to contact Diggs. Diggs then picked up Pryor in a cream-colored Ford Fusion and left the University City neighborhood.
Diggs has been charged with hindering apprehension, escape, use of a communication facility, and criminal conspiracy in connection with Pryor’s escape. Information regarding Diggs’ attorney is not currently available.
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- US Marshals capture escaped teenage murder suspect (abcnews.go.com)