BOISE, Idaho, March 20, 2024 (Gephardt Daily) — An escaped inmate and an armed accomplice — who helped the prisoner escape from custody at Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center by shooting two corrections officers — remain at large Wednesday afternoon.
The incident began at 2:15 a.m. Wednesday after inmate Skylar W. Meade, 31, was taken to the hospital for treatment of an injury. Investigators now believe that injury was planned.
An unknown accomplice, described as a bald man with eye tattoos, entered the medical center and began shooting corrections officers assigned to keep Meade in custody.
Boise police responded to the scene, and one mistakenly shot an armed person near the hospital’s entrance. That person, a third shooting victim in the incident, was determined to be a Department of Corrections employee.
“He was not seriously injured and is receiving treatment for his injuries,” the BPD statement says.
The hospital was locked down as officers searched the area for the suspect.
“A preliminary investigation indicates Meade and the shooting suspect got into a gray four-door sedan and fled the area just prior to Boise Police officers arriving,” the BPD statement says.
Meade has been serving time in IDOC for aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer with a firearm enhancement and has prior convictions including felony possession of a controlled substance, grand theft, and introduction of contraband into a correctional facility, the Boise PD statement says.
“He has been incarcerated since October 2016 and his most recent sentence was set to end October 2036.
“In total, three IDOC officers were injured. One officer, shot by the suspect is in critical but stable condition. The second officer shot by the suspect has serious but non-life-threatening injuries.”
The third victim, shot by the BPD officer, also suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
Boise Police Chief Ron Winegar shared comments.
“This brazen, violent, and apparently coordinated attack on Idaho Department of Corrections personnel, to facilitate an escape of a dangerous inmate, was carried out right in front of the Emergency Department, where people come for medical help, often in the direst circumstances,” he wrote in the news release.
“When BPD officers responded, they believed the shooter was inside the Emergency Department. They immediately entered to address any potential continued threat to Emergency Room staff. I am grateful this harrowing incident did not result in loss of life, and we are monitoring the wounded IDOC officers with great hope for a full and speedy recovery of all involved.”
Because an officer fired at the suspects, the Ada County Sheriff’s Office is leading the Ada County Critical Incident Taskforce are investigation into the officer-involved critical incident.
The Idaho State Police released an alert and a poster with images of Meade.
“Both suspects are known to be armed and dangerous. Anyone with information is asked to call Ada County Dispatch at 208-377-6790,” it says.
