Manhunt continues in New Orleans for 6 escaped inmates
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Photo illustration: Axios Visuals; Photo: Carlie Kolath Wells/Axios
Six inmates are still on the run as of Monday night, with officials increasing the reward to $20,000 per escapee in hopes of getting folks to turn them in.
Why it matters: The men, who are considered armed and dangerous, have been out of the New Orleans jail since early Friday.
The big picture: The City Council is expected to hear from the Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office, New Orleans Police Department, Louisiana State Police and other agencies at a Tuesday committee meeting.
- Members want an update about the status of the search and the resources being used, says Councilman Oliver Thomas, who chairs the criminal justice committee.
- And if Sheriff Susan Hutson appears, Thomas says, he wants to know "what can we do about some of the charges the governor made" at Sunday's press conference.
- Gov. Jeff Landry said jail overcrowding and "progressive" criminal justice policies were root causes. Go deeper.
What he's saying: "This is a moment in history and this is a moment that doesn't need to repeat itself," Thomas tells Axios New Orleans.
Zoom in: The Louisiana State Police is leading the investigation, Landry said, with the assistance of the FBI, NOPD, OPSO and other agencies.
- More than 200 officers are "working around the clock" to find the inmates, LSP said Monday afternoon.
- Only four of the 10 escapees have been caught so far, with the latest one recaptured Monday night. All were found in New Orleans.
- LSP Superintendent Col. Robert Hodges on Sunday said officials don't believe the men have left the state yet.
Meanwhile, a proposed bill from state Rep. Mandie Landry (D-New Orleans) was amended Monday to require all jails to notify the public immediately of an escape, WDSU reports.
- A similar bill became law last year for juvenile escapes.
The other side: Leaders have been critical of Hutson's response to the jailbreak, especially the delay in notification.
- On Monday, state Rep. Aimee Adatto Freeman (D-New Orleans) called for her resignation.
Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect the current count of inmates on the run after Gary C. Price was arrested Monday night.