Salem police lifted a shelter-in-place order early Wednesday after an overnight search for a 21-year-old man who escaped from New Hampshire State Prison and remains at large.
Police said the man was last seen near Millville Street and Taylor Street. The order covering that area was lifted at about 2:40 a.m. Wednesday, after authorities concluded he had left the immediate neighborhood. Police said they did not believe he remained in the area and that there was no longer an active threat to residents there.
Authorities continue to describe him as armed and dangerous. Salem police said he is wanted on an escape warrant from the state prison, a fugitive-from-justice charge and multiple felony warrants issued in Salem. He is also reportedly wanted on an aggravated-assault-on-a-child warrant in Massachusetts.
“Armed and dangerous”
The search began Tuesday evening after the man was spotted in the Millville Street area. Police deployed cruisers, an armored vehicle and a New Hampshire State Police helicopter. The containment area eventually expanded to about a 1-mile radius around the streets where he was seen before investigators determined he had left.
Police description
Salem police described the escapee as a Black man who is 6 feet, 2 inches tall and weighs approximately 215 pounds. Police said he has a heavy build, short dreadlocks and a short dark beard. He was last seen wearing a white tank top and dark pants.
- Last reported location: Millville Street near Taylor Street in Salem
- Clothing: White tank top and dark pants
- Wanted on: An escape warrant, a fugitive-from-justice charge and multiple Salem felony warrants
Authorities said the man has a prior criminal history in Salem. Police arrested him in 2019 after a pursuit involving a stolen vehicle from Massachusetts, officials said. During that pursuit, he allegedly rammed multiple police cruisers. Those allegations are separate from the current escape warrant and other outstanding warrants.
Police asked anyone who sees the man or notices suspicious activity to avoid approaching him and contact the Salem Police Department at 603-893-1911. The escape case remains active, and the man has not been taken into custody.
