Two officers guarding escaped killer remain on duty as manhunt continues
ORANGE COUNTY, N.C. (WTVD) -- The two officers who were guarding escaped killer Ramone Alston remain on active duty, as the North Carolina Department of Adult Corrections (DAC) said the agency had no indications that the two officers did anything improper.
Alston was being transported to UNC Hospital in Hillsborough for a doctor's appointment when authorities believe he managed to get his leg restraints off. When the officers opened the door of the vehicle to bring him into the hospital, he began running. The two officers chased after him, but he made it into the woods outside the hospital and has not been seen since.
Orange County Sheriff Charles Blackwood has stated publicly that he believes Alston had help with his escape, and that he had a clear plan to escape, which the officers could not have known about, and they did the best they could in the scenario they were in.
Former Wake County Sheriff Donnie Harrison weighed in on the situation to ABC11 Wednesday evening.
"I bet money on it that it was a setup, but I can assure you this - all the law enforcement have got their eyes and ears open looking for him," Harrison said.
The DAC also indicated that an after-action review will take place and that investigation "will look at all aspects of the event and at possibilities for future improvements," meaning policy changes are possible in the future based on this incident.
Harrison added that he believes there's no real way to ensure that more inmates don't escape in the future, saying it will happen again.
"I don't know these officers but I can assure you, looking back they're probably saying, 'I should have done this or I should have done that,'" Harrison said. "If it was planned and he had some help somewhere along the line, and he had come out of his (leg restraints) so he can run fast, there wasn't a whole lot they could do about that if they couldn't catch him."
Of all the inmates who have ever escaped in North Carolina since 1962, 33 were never caught.
A tip line remains open for anyone who has information about where Alston might be, you can call (919) 324-1082 to report tips.
There is a $35,000 reward for information leading to the capture of Alston.
