Authorities are currently investigating a significant security breach that occurred at a New Orleans jail, where ten inmates escaped through a hole in their cell wall while a guard was away getting food. In response to the incident, three employees have been suspended, although it remains uncertain whether any of them are suspected of aiding in the escape.

 Officials have not disclosed if the guard who left for food is among those suspended.

The fugitives, aged between 19 and 42, include several individuals in their 20s. Notably, one escapee, Derrick Groves, was convicted last year on multiple counts of second-degree murder and attempted second-degree murder related to the 2018 Mardi Gras Day shootings. He is also facing a battery charge involving a correctional officer, and law enforcement officials fear he may seek out witnesses from his past trial.

Another inmate, Corey Boyd, has pleaded not guilty to an ongoing second-degree murder charge.

New Orleans Police Department's Superintendent, Anne Kirkpatrick, stated that the department is actively collaborating with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies to locate the missing inmates. Officials have already employed facial recognition technology, thanks to a partnership with Project NOLA, to help identify and recapture one of the escapees. Bryan LaGarde, the organization's executive director, indicated that two of the escapees were found in the French Quarter, where they appeared to be trying to blend in while frequently checking their surroundings.

District Attorney Jason Williams condemned the sheriff's office for its delayed notification to authorities and the public, citing it as a serious failure that endangered lives. He expressed concern that some of the escaped individuals have histories of intimidating witnesses.

Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill criticized the escape as “beyond unacceptable,” emphasizing that local authorities took too long to alert the public. She reached out to neighboring states to inform them of the situation, noting that the escapees could potentially be anywhere by now.

Superintendent Kirkpatrick assured that her agency is making thorough efforts to respond to the escape and is coordinating with the FBI and U.S. Marshals to focus on the safety of potential witnesses. Some individuals have had to be relocated for their protection.

She warned that assisting or harboring the escapees would result in criminal charges. The New Orleans jail, which has faced federal oversight for over a decade aimed at improving conditions, has continued to witness security issues and violence even after the opening of the Orleans Justice Center in 2015-an upgrade from the previously aging Orleans Parish Prison plagued by previous escape attempts and deaths in custody.

A federal ruling in 2013 denounced the jail as unconstitutional for those incarcerated there. Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson mentioned that the facility is operating at only 60% of its staffing capacity, adding to the challenges faced. Bianka Brown, the Chief Financial Officer of the Sheriff's Office, noted that financial constraints have hindered their ability to address pressing infrastructure issues, including broken doors and necessary lock replacements.