In a shocking incident that has gripped the city of Boise, an inmate staged a daring escape from a local hospital early Wednesday morning with help from an armed accomplice. The brazen attack left two correction officers seriously wounded after the accomplice opened fire to facilitate the inmate’s getaway.
The harrowing events unfolded around 2:15 am at Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center in Boise, where 31-year-old inmate Skylar Meade had been transported from prison for unspecified medical treatment. As correction officers were preparing to take Meade back into custody after his treatment, a gunman believed to be Meade’s associate suddenly ambushed them in the hospital’s emergency department.
“This was a brazen, violent, and apparently coordinated attack on our corrections personnel carried out right in the emergency room,” Boise Police Chief Ron Winegar stated grimly. “Where people come for medical help, often in life’s direst circumstances.”
In the chaos that ensued, the armed accomplice opened fire, striking two correction officers. One officer was critically injured and remains in serious but stable condition, while the second suffered wounds described as serious but non-life-threatening.
Tragically, a third correction officer was also shot, but not by the accomplice. When Boise police responded to reports of an active shooter at the hospital, an officer mistakenly fired upon and injured the correction officer near the entrance, believing the armed individual was the suspected shooter.
“I am grateful this harrowing incident did not result in loss of life,” Chief Winegar said, “and we are monitoring the wounded officers with great hope for their full and speedy recovery.”
Despite the quick response from law enforcement, the perpetrators managed to escape the scene before police arrived. Investigators believe Meade and his unidentified accomplice fled in a gray Honda Civic shortly before officers swarmed the hospital.
An urgent manhunt is now underway to locate Meade, described as a white male standing 5’6″ tall, weighing 150 lbs, with hazel eyes, brown hair, and distinctive tattoos including the numbers “1” on one side of his face and “11” on the other – signifying his membership in the Aryan Knights prison gang.
His suspected accomplice has been identified as 34-year-old Nicholas Umphenour, described as a 5’11” white male weighing 160 lbs with brown hair and hazel eyes. Umphenour has been charged with two counts of aggravated battery against law enforcement officers and one count of aiding and abetting an escape, with his arrest warrant carrying a hefty $2 million bond.
“We are searching as quickly as we can, following every lead,” Chief Winegar vowed in a Wednesday afternoon press briefing on the active investigation. “They could be anywhere at this point.”
The police chief warned that both men should be considered armed and extremely dangerous based on their willingness to use extreme violence to carry out Meade’s escape from custody.
Idaho Department of Correction Director Josh Tewalt stated that officials are still investigating how the coordinated attack was planned and whether any other accomplices may have been involved in facilitating the escape.
According to Tewalt, Meade had engaged in “self-injurious behavior” on Tuesday night, prompting prison medical staff to determine he required off-site treatment and authorize the fateful hospital transport that enabled the escape.
Court records reveal that Meade is a convicted felon who has been incarcerated since 2016 on charges including aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer, felony possession of a controlled substance, grand theft, and introduction of contraband into a prison facility. He was serving a sentence through October 2036, with his first parole eligibility in October 2026.
The remarkable jailbreak has deeply shaken the city of Boise and surrounding communities. Even as a massive multi-agency manhunt spanning multiple states presses on, many residents remain on edge knowing the perpetrators of such a brazen crime are still at large.
“We understand the unease this incident has caused in our community,” Chief Winegar acknowledged. He urged civilians to remain vigilant and report any information that could aid in apprehending the dangerous duo.
The chief also recognized the bravery and sacrifices of the correction officers caught up in the ambush. “They put their lives on the line to keep our community safe from the most dangerous individuals,” he stated somberly. “We owe them our gratitude and hope they pull through from this senseless act of violence.”
As the intensive search efforts continue, a palpable sense of anxiety lingers over Boise. Residents are left grappling with how such a meticulously planned, violent operation could have successfully sprung a convicted criminal from the supposed safety of a hospital. The repercussions of this audacious act will likely be felt for some time by a community struggling to understand how its security was so brazenly compromised.
