Teen accused of murder escapes Louisiana jail the second time in 2 weeks

Two teens accused of murder broke out from a Louisiana detention facility over the weekend, marking the second time in about two weeks that one of the wanted suspects has escaped from the center.

Per the New York Post, David Atkins and Willie Jackson, who are both 17, were being held at the East Baton Rouge Juvenile Detention Center on first-degree murder charges. Atkins had initially broken out of the facility, but he was recaptured before he managed to escape with Jackson for the second time.

Atkins’ first escape from the facility was on November 17. He and another teen broke out of the center on the blindside of guards who were returning inmates to their cells following a fight, per the Advocate. The two escapees were, however, captured after 24 hours.

Responding to the recent escape, the Baton Rouge Police Department advised people not to approach Atkins and Jackson as they are considered armed and dangerous, WAFB reported.

“We want the public to be cautious as they may have changed their hairstyles. We are encouraging those that may see them that may know their whereabouts or may actually be out and about just witness these individuals out in the community to not hesitate to call 911 or Crime Stoppers,” a police spokesperson said.

This isn’t the first time an incident of such nature has occurred at the facility. In 2021, five inmates broke out of the facility after they attacked a staffer before stealing her keys and locking her up in a cell, the Advocate reported. That incident marked the second escape that year.

In 2022, eight inmates got into a physical altercation after they broke out of their cells. Three of them sustained injuries from the fight while doors and windows were also damaged.

A manhunt for Atkins and Jackson has since been launched by the Baton Rouge police and US Marshals Service. It was, however, unclear how the teens managed to break out from the facility.