PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — A manhunt is underway in Philadelphia after two inmates, including an alleged killer, escaped from a correctional facility Sunday night.
The escape occurred around 8:30 p.m. when the individuals were seen on surveillance footage punching a hole in a fence at the Philadelphia Industrial Correctional Center (PICC) located at 8301 State Road.
Police tell Action News that one of the inmates, 18-year-old Ameen Hurst, was being held on multiple counts of murder.
Assistant Commissioner of Investigations Frank Vanore said a homicide occurred on Christmas Eve 2020 in the 1800 block of Wynnewood Road.
Vanore testified that in March 2021, Hurst committed three more murders. He said Hurst shot four people and killed two behind an apartment building on North 76th Street on March 11, 2021.
Then, just days later on March 18, officials say Hurst shot and killed Rodney Hargrove about an hour after he was released from the Curran Fromhold Correctional Facility.
READ | 16-year-old linked to 4 Philly murders, including shooting near jail
The second inmate to be released from the Philadelphia Industrial Correctional Center is Nasir Grant, 24, who police say was being held on narcotics and weapons violations.
The agents say that the only connection between the two inmates is that they were housed in the same unit but in different cells.
How the prison break went unnoticed for hours
According to Prison Commissioner Blanche Carney, the Industrial Correctional Center in Philadelphia learned of the two escaped inmates around 3 p.m. Monday.
Carney says there were three counts that took place at 11pm on Sunday, 3am on Monday and 7am on Monday before learning of the escape.
It remains unclear how the missing inmates slipped under the radar.
“So the facility realized today at 3 o’clock in the afternoon that we had two people who had not been accounted for. They are going back through the process to see if those three counts that have been called as cleared and why haven’t they been spotted. two missing individuals,” Carney said.
Action News asked Carney if he believed anyone on his staff helped the escape or if it was a case of negligence.
She replied that we would have to wait for an official investigation.
Mayor Jim Kenney said at a news conference Monday evening that they want to find out exactly what happened.
“Clearly the system was broken and people didn’t do what they were supposed to do,” Kenney said.
In the meantime, police officers are asking the public to be careful with these people.
The city of Philadelphia is offering $20,000 and the U.S. Marshal’s Service is offering $5,000 for information leading to the arrest of each suspect.
Officials say if you see any of the inmates or know their whereabouts, call the police tip line at 215-546-TIPS or call 911 immediately.
