The juvenile prisoner who escaped police custody on Jan. 24 at Penn Medicine was apprehended by U.S. Marshals on Jan. 29.
Credit: Ethan YoungShane Pryor, the 17-year-old who escaped from custody while arriving at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia on Jan. 24, was captured by U.S. Marshals on Sunday following a four-day search.
Pryor was found while getting off the bus near Third Street and Roosevelt Boulevard around 6:30 p.m. on Jan. 28. According to police, Pryor was cooperative during the arrest and was immediately taken to the Homicide Unit.
The Philadelphia District Attorney's Office said that — after Pryor was captured — he was charged with escape, aggravated assault, hindering apprehension, and related offenses for his escape, according to CBS News.
“To bring Shane Pryor into custody 4 days after escaping, is a result of tremendous collaboration between the U.S. Marshals Service and the Philadelphia Homicide Unit,” Supervisor Deputy Marshal Robert Clark told the Delaware County Times.
Pryor, who is awaiting trial in a 2020 homicide case, escaped as Juvenile Justice Services Center personnel transported him to CHOP’s emergency room to receive treatment for a hand injury on Wednesday. Kathleen Shields Anderson, Vice President for the Division of Public Safety, told The Daily Pennsylvanian that the suspect fled while getting out of a transport vehicle.
"The suspect was eventually seen on CHOP cameras heading into one of their buildings, so the search focused on that area," Anderson said.
As part of an ongoing investigation, police officers detained 18-year-old Michael Diggs for questioning on Wednesday. Two days later, the police arrested Diggs for allegedly assisting Pryor’s escape from custody.
According to investigators, Diggs arrived on the 3500 block of Civic Boulevard in a Ford Fusion after receiving a phone call from Pryor. The vehicle then left University City and was captured on surveillance video at a corner store. Diggs is currently being charged with hindering apprehension, escape, conspiracy, and use of a communication facility.
A judge denied Pryor's request to be treated as a juvenile shortly before he fled — a decision his lawyer believes may have been the cause for his escape.
"He may have felt he wasn't going to get a fair shake," Pryor's attorney Paul DiMaio told 6abc Action News. "He needs to turn himself in and he needs to do whatever we need to do to fight this case."
Pryor, along with 15-year-old Kyan Williams, was detained for the 2020 murder of 54-year-old Tanya Harris. He reportedly maintains his innocence and currently awaits trial.
"We thank the great citizens of Philadelphia, as well as the media, for their support and coverage during this investigation,” Supervisor Deputy Marshal Clark wrote in a press release.
Editor’s note: This article has been updated to reflect that Pryor was transported by Juvenile Justice Services Center personnel, not police.The DP regrets the error.
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