PHILADELPHIA (AP) — There were no corrections officers assigned specifically to watch the housing unit of a Philadelphia prison when two inmates escaped Sunday night, and no armed perimeter guards were on duty as the men broke through the prison's fence, a correctional officers union official told The Associated Press on Tuesday.
This combo from photos provided by Philadelphia Dept. of Prisons shows from left, Nasir Grant, left, and Ameen Hurst. Authorities searched Tuesday, May 9, 2023, for two inmates, one accused of killing four people, who were gone from a Philadelphia prison for nearly 19 hours before officials knew they were missing. Hurst, 18, and Grant, 24, escaped from the Philadelphia Industrial Correctional Center around 8:30 p.m.
The city’s prison department is so understaffed that they have not had the armed perimeter guards on duty during that specific nighttime shift for eight or nine months, said David Robinson, president of the public service employees union’s District 33 Council that represents the correctional officers.
Philadelphia Prisons Department Commissioner Blanche Carney said during a news conference Monday night that headcounts conducted at 11 p.m. on Sunday, 3 a.m. on Monday, and 7 a.m. on Monday reportedly showed that all prisoners were accounted for, and prison staff did not become aware of the escaped inmates until about 3 p.m. Monday. There were no immediate replies to calls made to Carney’s spokesperson on Tuesday.
Mayor Jim Kenney said that they want to find out exactly what happened. “Clearly the system screwed up and people didn’t do what what they’re supposed to do,” he said. “Those vacancies put a huge stress on the officers present and on the day-to-day function of the jails,” said Noah Barth, the prison monitoring director for the Pennsylvania Prison Society, an independent organization that monitors conditions in jails and prisons across the state and advocates for humane conditions for incarcerated people.
Robinson said the council issued a no confidence vote on Commissioner Carney on May 2, and it was a unanimous vote from membership.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Philadelphia high school crew teams compete in Manny Flicks City ChampionshipAthletes on the winning boats will get more than a trophy; they'll win a chance to go to scholastic nationals.
Read more »
Police cruiser crashes into vehicle, home in North PhiladelphiaOfficials have not released the condition of either of the officers involved.
Read more »
Students at C.W. Henry Elementary School in Philadelphia set to return after asbestos issuesA total of six schools in the Philadelphia School District have had to close in recent months due to issues with asbestos.
Read more »
Police, emergency crews investigate building collapse in North PhiladelphiaThere is no word yet on any injuries at the scene.
Read more »
Officials: 3-story building collapses in North Philadelphia, sends 3 to the hospitalAuthorities say medics transported one man and two women to a local hospital for treatment after they were hit by bricks when the building collapsed.
Read more »