Inmate mistakenly released from New Orleans jail, manhunt underway: Police
An inmate was mistakenly released from a New Orleans jail, sparking an ongoing manhunt, authorities said Friday.
Khalil Bryan, 30, was released from the Orleans Justice Center on Friday due to a "human error," when he was confused with an individual with a similar last name, according to Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson.
"I want to make a sincere apology to the people of New Orleans," Hutson said during a press briefing on Friday. "The mistaken release of Khalil Bryan was a serious error, and as sheriff, I take full responsibility."
The New Orleans Police Department is actively searching for Bryan, Police Chief Anne Kirkpatrick said.
Kirkpatrick said it is unclear if Bryan knows he was mistakenly released, but police are now "putting him on notice" that he is a fugitive. She urged him to turn himself in.
"You and others who may be harboring him at this moment will be subject to prosecution yourself because you are on notice," the chief said.
At the time of his mistaken release, Bryan was being held on charges including possession of stolen property, drug paraphernalia and resisting an officer, according to Kirkpatrick. He also has an active warrant for aggravated assault with a firearm, domestic abuse, child endangerment and home invasion, she said.
He has a "violent criminal history," including aggravated burglary, aggravated assault with a weapon and aggravated criminal damage to property, Kirkpatrick said.
Hutson said her office immediately launched an internal investigation after the error was discovered and is questioning those who were on duty at the time. She said she did not know when exactly he was released.
"We'll find out exactly what did happen, because we don't know until we talk to them," she said. "We know that there were similar last names. That's all that we know."
Disciplinary action "will be forthcoming," the sheriff said.
"This should not have happened," she said. "It was a failure of internal processes, and the public has every right to expect better."
Bryan was being held on a $100,000 bench warrant related to a failure to appear for arraignment in a case, and an additional $25,000 bond tied to new felony charges, according to Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams.
"Despite those holds, Bryan was released in error when deputies, responding to a bond posted by an unrelated individual for another inmate, failed to properly verify identity and mistakenly discharged Bryan instead," Williams said in a statement.
Williams said his office is not ruling out pursuing possible charges against the deputy or deputies who let the inmate walk free -- saying, "We will follow the leads."
The Orleans Justice Center is the same jail where 10 inmates escaped in May. One remains on the lam.
"This is a deeply troubling incident that underscores the ongoing systemic issues surrounding the exercise of custody and control over detained individuals," Williams said of Friday's mistaken release. "The failure to properly confirm the identity of an inmate prior to release is an unacceptable lapse that presents a real and immediate risk to public safety."
Authorities have notified the victim in Bryan's case, the sheriff said. Williams said his office is also reaching out to "all victims and witnesses associated with Bryan's prosecution."
"Where we are unable to make contact, we are dispatching investigators to ensure the affected victims and their families are notified and receive appropriate support," he said.
