Topline
A New Orleans prison is on lockdown Friday after a group of 11 inmates escaped confinement, according to local authorities, who told reporters the escapees should be considered armed and dangerous.
Local and state law enforcement officials have begun a search for the escapees. (Photo by Chris … More
Key Facts
Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson said in a news conference Friday the Orleans Parish jail was on full lockdown following the escape, which was discovered after a routine headcount was conducted at 8:30 a.m. local time.
A search is underway for the escapees, according to a statement from Hutson.
The escapees’ charges range from illegal weapons possession to murder, according to court documents cited by Fox 8 in New Orleans.
Orleans Parish Jail is located between Tulane Avenue and Interstate 10, about two miles west of the French Quarter.
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What Kind Of Prison Is Orleans Parish Jail?
Orleans Parish Jail is a local jail designed to hold people awaiting trial or inmates serving short sentences. The facility was built in 1837 and held an average of 1,185 people daily in March 2024, according to data from the New Orleans mayor’s office.
Key Background
High-profile prison escapes are rare in the U.S., Bryce Peterson, a senior research scientist at The Center for Justice Research and Innovation, told CBS News in 2023. Peterson said escapes from minimum security prisons happen “all the time, several times a day, from facilities across the country,” though he noted more high-profile escapes, like that of convicted murderer Danelo Cavalcante’s in 2023, “are extremely rare.” Cavalcante escaped from Chester County Prison in Pennsylvania, triggering a two-week long manhunt that resulted in his arrest.
Further Reading
11 inmates escape from Orleans jail, including multiple accused murderers (Fox 8)
Orleans Parish jail on lockdown after 11 inmates escape from custody, sheriff says (nola.com)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/antoniopequenoiv/2025/05/16/new-orleans-jail-placed-on-lockdown-after-11-inmates-escape/