Teen Convicted in Deadly School Shooting Escapes, Is Recaptured
LIMA, Ohio (KDKA/AP) - The young man convicted in the 2012 shooting deaths of three students at Chardon High School, near Cleveland, escaped from prison Thursday night.
Police say 19-year-old Thomas Michael Lane III, also known as T.J., escaped Thursday night along with two other inmates. One of the inmates was captured shortly after the escape.
Then around 1:30 a.m. Friday, Lane was captured by the Ohio State Highway Patrol and police in Lima.
The union representing Ohio guards says prison officials were warned about an escape the day before three inmates scrambled over a fence for a few hours of freedom before being recaptured.
The Ohio Civil Service Employees Association says one inmate was put in segregation as a result of the discovery of an escape plan on Wednesday. The union says that inmate was housed in the same unit as the three who escaped.
The union says prison officials did not take additional steps to secure the unit.
Captain Gary Allen with the Ohio State Police, "Ironically enough the troopers are actually working in the area when the phone call came and they were there. I mean I'm talking within minutes and they were there."
Chadron High School will be closed Friday, the move was made as a precaution when Lane escaped.
Students at the high school are still on edge.
"I'm scared, it's not something anyone wants to go through, it's like reliving it again," said one student.
Another student added this: "So I'm sure it was a group effort, I'm sure it was very well planned, he was an intelligent, albeit sick, individual."
45 year old Clifferd E. Opperud, who escaped with Lane, remained on the run for hours.
He was eventually captured around 5:00 a.m. Friday morning.
Kevin Jones, who is the Allen-Oakwood Correction institution warden said, "The inmates are locked down and they are under watch by our staff at this point in time."
The warden at the Allen-Oakwood Correctional Institution near Lima spoke about the escape. "He (Lane) was captured just about 100 yards from our institution, our main peremiter fence. He did scale the perimeter fence and this is an ongoing investigation," said warden Kevin Jones.
Lane pleaded guilty last year to shooting three students, Daniel Parmertor, Russell King, Jr. and Demetrius Hewlin, in February 2012 at Chardon High School, east of Cleveland. He said he didn't know why he did it.
Lane was 17 at the time of the shooting but was charged as an adult.
He was given three life sentences.
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