Boise, Idaho – Police are currently on the hunt for an escaped inmate and another suspect following a shooting incident involving corrections officers during the early hours of Wednesday morning in Boise, Idaho. Authorities have characterized the incident as a planned escape.
The situation unfolded at 2:15 a.m. local time as officers from the Idaho Department of Corrections were in the process of transferring inmate Skylar Meade back to the corrections facility after receiving medical treatment at Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center. As officers were preparing to return Meade, an unknown suspect opened fire on them, resulting in two officers being shot. One officer sustained non-life-threatening injuries, while the other remains in critical condition but is stable.
Following the shooting, both Meade and the suspect managed to flee the scene. They were last spotted driving away in a gray four-door sedan, believed to be a Honda Civic. Meade, a 31-year-old white male, stands at 5 feet 6 inches tall and is identifiable by two face tattoos, one depicting the number 1 and the other the number 11.
Boise police responded to the active shooter situation at the hospital, prompting a lockdown. During the response, one officer discharged their firearm at an armed individual, later identified as an Idaho Department of Corrections officer, causing non-life-threatening injuries.
Boise Police Chief Ron Winegar characterized the incident as a “brazen, violent, and apparently coordinated attack” aimed at facilitating Meade’s escape. Acknowledging the dangerous nature of the situation, Winegar urged the public to report any sightings of the suspects and refrain from confronting them directly due to their armed and violent tendencies.
Skylar Meade, a known gang member, was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2017 for a series of criminal charges, including firing shots at law enforcement officers during a high-speed chase. The Department of Corrections is currently investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident to determine how it unfolded and prevent similar incidents in the future.
Director of the Department of Corrections, Josh Tewalt, described the events leading up to the escape as a planned attack, prompting precautionary measures to secure the south Boise complex. As the investigation continues, authorities are working to locate Meade and the other suspect, ensuring the safety of the community and the correctional facilities.
Tewalt emphasized that Meade was held in administrative segregation, the highest level of custody at the Idaho Department of Corrections, earned based on behavior in custody rather than criminal history. The department will continue its efforts to track down the fugitives and enhance security protocols to prevent future incidents.