Authorities are offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the capture of Shane Pryor, a teenage suspect in a 2020 killing who escaped from custody while being transferred to a Philadelphia hospital. Pryor, 17, escaped from the Philadelphia Juvenile Justice Services Center while being sent to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia for a hand injury.
Pryor escaped just before noon while getting out of a vehicle in the driveway of the hospital. He managed to flee from detention center staff and was seen on video in the hospital’s lobby asking an employee to use the phone before leaving the building. Pryor then ran from the hospital and was captured on surveillance video entering various buildings in an attempt to gather resources.
It is believed that Pryor was not restrained during the transport to the hospital. Investigators are currently looking into whether he broke free of his restraints or if restraints were not used in the first place. According to Sgt. Eric Gripp of the Philadelphia Police Department, it is standard practice for suspects to be handcuffed and shackled when transported. However, Pryor did not appear to have any restraints on him when he left the vehicle.
Authorities suspect that Pryor received help from an accomplice to evade police. They are “highly confident” that he obtained transportation out of University City shortly after his escape. A stolen Ford F-150, previously believed to be used by Pryor, is no longer being sought as part of the investigation. It is apparent that Pryor had assistance in planning his escape due to the speed and efficiency with which he left the hospital.
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Pryor was being held on a murder charge related to a 2020 killing. He has been in the juvenile detention center awaiting trial since he was 14 years old. His escape has raised questions about the security measures in place at the center and the circumstances surrounding his transfer to the hospital. The Philadelphia Department of Human Services, which runs the juvenile justice center, has yet to comment on the incident.
Authorities are using every available resource to bring Pryor back into custody. The United States Marshals Service is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to his capture. Philadelphia police are actively investigating the incident and searching for Pryor in various locations, including parking garages in the area. The public is advised to call 911 if they see Pryor, but they are warned not to approach him due to his dangerous nature.
In a phone interview, Pryor’s defense attorney, Paul DiMaio, stated that Pryor has always maintained his innocence in the murder charges he is facing. DiMaio mentioned that Pryor may have been motivated to escape due to a recent court ruling that kept his murder case out of juvenile court. Pryor and his family were reportedly frustrated and scared by the decision to try him as an adult. However, DiMaio emphasized that Pryor is not considered dangerous and urged him to turn himself in.
