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According to officials, Skylar Meade and Nicholas Umphenour have been apprehended after orchestrating an escape from an Idaho prison on Wednesday.
At the time of his escape, Meade was incarcerated for 20 years after shooting a sheriff during a high-speed car chase.
Reportedly, Umphenour fired at two officers in order to aid Meade’s escape. As additional officers arrived at the chaotic scene, a third correctional officer was mistakenly shot while being perceived as an armed person.
Both men were identified as associates during their time at the Idaho Department of Corrections (IDOC) where they were incarcerated. They were also found to be connected to the same white supremacist group.
This is all the information we have on Meade, the prisoner who escaped:
Can you tell me about Skylar Meade?
The inmate, who is 31 years old, has been in prison since October 2016. His current sentence is set to expire in October 2036. He was imprisoned for various charges, including aggravated battery against a law enforcement officer with the use of a firearm.
Earlier, Meade had been found guilty of possessing a controlled substance, grand theft, and smuggling contraband into a correctional facility. According to a report by KTVB7, the inmate was charged following a shooting incident with a Twin Falls sheriff’s sergeant during a fast-paced car pursuit.
According to the news source, the individual attempted to escape after being pulled over. However, they ultimately crashed their vehicle and attempted to flee on foot but were apprehended soon after. The person was also found guilty of owning methamphetamine, unlawfully possessing a firearm, and having a homemade weapon while in jail.
Skylar Meade
Meade is reported to be 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighing 150 pounds by officials. He has facial tattoos that consist of the numbers 1 and 11.
Before the event, Meade was in isolation due to safety reasons.
How did he manage to get away?
According to The Associated Press, Meade went to Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center for medical assistance on Tuesday evening at 9:35pm due to engaging in self-harm.
According to the state’s protocol, non-armed guards are positioned on both sides of a potentially dangerous inmate, while an armed guard trails behind. Officials provided no further details on any extra security precautions that were implemented, and it is uncertain whether Meade was walking independently or under restraint at the time.
The assault took place around 2:15am on Wednesday, as officials organized Meade’s return to prison. An armed accomplice initiated the attack during this time.
Two individuals were able to flee in a grey Honda Accord, identified as a four-door sedan, after a gunbattle that resulted in three prison guards being shot.
The individuals fled in a grey Honda Accord.
The IDOC employs all of the officers who were shot. According to department director Josh Tewalt, one officer was discharged from the hospital on Thursday, while the other two are still hospitalized but in stable condition and showing signs of improvement.
He stated that upon hearing about Meade being captured again, the morale of the men improved.
Who is the identity of Nicholas Umphenour?
Nicholas Umphenour was later recognized as Meade’s suspected accomplice in the escape.
Based on police records, Umphenour is approximately 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighs 160 pounds. He has brown hair and hazel eyes. A statement from the police noted that he was wanted for two charges of aggravated battery against law enforcement and one charge of aiding and abetting an escape.
The bond for the warrant is $2 million.
Authorities stated on Thursday that more details regarding Umphenour’s previous run-ins with the law would be provided in the future.
Josh Tewalt, the director of the Idaho Department of Corrections, stated that Meade and Umphenour were both in custody and had mutual acquaintances. They were also housed together in the maximum security institute from December 2020 to January 2024.
Nicholas Umphenour
The Boise Police Department provided this image.
Furthermore, the two individuals were affiliated with the white supremacist organization known as the Aryan Knights.
Who makes up the Aryan Knights?
The Idaho District Attorney’s Office states that the Aryan Knights were formed in the 1990s with the purpose of orchestrating illegal activity for a specific group of Caucasian prisoners under IDOC’s supervision.
The organization holds beliefs in white supremacy and the separation of races. It is estimated to have a membership of more than 100 people, both within and outside of IDOC. This group has a history of using physical and verbal aggression to harm inmates from non-white backgrounds, as well as specific targeted inmates.
The Anti-Defamation League stated that individuals will use tattoos representing the number “12” and the letters “A” and “K” to identify themselves.
Meade’s tattoos, specifically the numbers 1 and 11, are commonly believed to symbolize the letters A and K, the first and 11th of the alphabet. This is believed to represent the Aryan Knights.
Source: independent.co.uk
