A major manhunt is underway in Portage, Wisconsin after two inmates – each convicted of violent felonies – escaped from the maximum-security Columbia Correctional Institution. Nearby residents have been urged to lock their doors.
Portage Police Department has warned the public to stay alert following a jailbreak by convicts James Newman, 37, and Thomas Deering, 46, on Thursday morning. It’s not clear exactly how the pair made their escape.
There is an active situation in the area of Columbia Correctional Institution. Please stay indoors and make sure your homes and vehicles are secured until further notice.
With the majority of the American population already on lockdown due to Covid-19, police are reiterating calls for the public to stay inside and lock both their vehicles and their homes, to prevent any unwanted contact with the felons.
Deering, according to reports, was convicted of burglary, kidnapping, and three counts of second-degree sexual assault. In addition, he faced an attempted escape charge in 2002 and a charge of battery in 2015 while in prison.
Newman was found guilty on six firearms charges in 2009, and was later convicted of three felonies, including escape, kidnapping and theft.
Since the global pandemic began there have been multiple prison riots as inmates fear the close quarters ‘on the inside’ puts them at greater risk of infection, with severely diminished access to medical care. Some inmates are also struggling with drug withdrawal issues, after their contraband-supplying visitations were halted.
