‘Very dangerous’: 2 inmates escape from Philadelphia prison
- Two inmates escaped from a Philadelphia prison on Sunday
- One escapee is charged with four homicides; another faces gun and drug charges
- "Protocols were not followed," a prison official said
(NewsNation) — Police are looking for two men who escaped from a Philadelphia prison over the weekend.
Ameen Hurst, 18, and Nasir Grant, 24, fled from Philadelphia Industrial Correctional Center around 8:30 p.m. on Sunday, but their absence was not noticed until Monday afternoon, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported.
Hurst is charged with four homicides, the newspaper said, including Rodney Hargrove’s. Hargrove had just been released from jail in 2021 when he was gunned down on prison grounds, according to The Inquirer.
“(Hurst is) a very dangerous individual from what we know, and we are looking for the public’s help to get him back,” Frank Vanore, Philadelphia Police deputy commissioner of investigations, said at a news conference.
Meanwhile, Grant faces drug and gun charges.
Prisons Commissioner Blanche Carney said Sunday’s escape was the first prison break in the Philadelphia system since 2010.
“We have protocols in place, and those protocols were not followed,” said Carney, according to FOX 29. “That yard should have been secured, and the fence not breached.”
The prison fence does not have an alarm to detect a breach, Carney added.
It was a breakdown in the prison system’s headcount protocol that allowed Hurst and Grant to escape in the first place, Carney said. Speaking to reporters on Monday night, she said the two escapees missed headcounts at 11 p.m., 3 a.m. and 7 a.m., FOX 29 reported.
“The City and law enforcement partners are working to quickly apprehend these individuals, and we plan to conduct a thorough investigation into how they were able to escape,” Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney said on Twitter.
Those with information can call Northeast Detectives at 215-686-3153.