Manhunt continues for 2 Philadelphia escaped inmates; reward offered
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Rewards are being offered as Philadelphia police and U.S. Marshals continue their manhunt for two inmates on the run. One is an accused murderer, according to officials.
U.S. Marshals are offering $5,000 for information leading to each person's arrest, while the city is offering $20,000.
The men escaped from the Philadelphia Industrial Correctional Center over the weekend and, apparently, no one at the prison noticed until hours after their escape.
Now, the family of a man allegedly murdered by one of those inmates hopes they are recaptured soon.
Rodney Hargrove was killed near the same prison an hour after being released from here in March 2021. His suspected killer is one of the inmates who escaped.
The attorney for the Hargrove family said they are praying no one else is harmed now that the alleged killer is not in custody.
Here's what we know about the escaped inmates:
Ameen Hurst, 18, has been charged with four murders, including Hargrove's.
The other man, 24-year-old Nasir Grant, is facing drug and gun offense charges.
Hurst is described as 6'0 and weighing 140 pounds. Grant is said to be 5'9 and weighs 160 pounds.
The duo were both accounted for at 8:30 p.m. Sunday, according to officials, but later missed a total of three headcounts at 11 p.m. on Sunday, as well as 3 a.m. and 7 a.m. Monday.
"We are adamant and working tirelessly to get these two individuals back into custody, and that is the focus of our investigation," Philadelphia Prisons Commissioner Blanche Carney said during a press conference Monday. "As we go through these processes, we have protocols in place and those protocols were not followed, so that will be a part of our investigation."
Carney said security cameras captured the Hurst and Grant cutting a hole in the fence of the correctional facility to make their break Sunday night. However, officials didn't realize the two were missing Monday afternoon.
Carney said during each headcount, it appeared that Grant and Hurst were both at the prison at the time. She added officials are investigating why the two weren't listed as missing, even though they weren't present during the headcount.
Headcounts have since been increased at the facility in the wake of the escape, officials said.
The Department of Prisons says they are reviewing security tapes, staff assignments, and visitor logs from before, during and after the escape but that that will take days to complete.
Police are working with the U.S. Marshals to track down the men, who are considered armed and dangerous.
The correctional center remains on lockdown through Friday.
Anyone with information on their whereabouts is asked to call Northeast Detectives at 215-686-3153, 215-686-TIPS (8477) or 911. You can also call the U.S. Marshal Service at 1-800-336-0102 or send information to usmarshals.gov/tips.
