Inmates on the Run: 7 Escapees Still Free After Jail Break

Authorities in Louisiana are still searching for seven inmates who escaped from the Orleans Justice Center in downtown New Orleans on Friday. The escapees, who were being held on various charges including some with murder, used faulty locks and a hole behind a toilet to gain freedom.

Around 1 a.m., the detainees were able to go through a hole in the wall behind a toilet in one of the housing unit cells. The group was then able to leave the building through a back door used for unloading supplies and scale a wall before they were seen on surveillance running across a nearby interstate.

According to the Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office, three members of the escape group have since been brought back into custody after being found in various areas. However, four others remain at large:

• Corey Boyd
• Derrick Groves
• Jermaine Donald
• Lenton VanBuren
• Antoine Massey
• Leo Tate
• Gary Price

The sheriff's office acknowledged that the escape has highlighted several critical issues with the jail's infrastructure, including defective locks and security cameras. The facility is currently operating with insufficient staff to properly monitor all areas at all times.

"These security breaches, combined with ongoing staffing shortages, have made it difficult to maintain the level of security required. Currently, the OJC houses 24 pods, and the facility is operating with insufficient staff to properly monitor all areas at all times," the sheriff's office said. "We are committed to ensuring that the necessary repairs are made to restore full functionality to the facility and to improve the overall safety and security of both detainees and staff."