Three Idaho corrections officers were ambushed by gunfire while escorting a dangerous inmate from a hospital visit in Boise. The inmate, identified as Skylar Meade with ties to a White supremacist group, was being discharged from Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center when the attack occurred.
Meade had been transported to the hospital due to self-injurious behavior, and as he was being prepared to return to the Idaho Maximum Security Institution, shots were fired at the officers. Two officers were wounded by the shooter, who fled the scene with Meade in a gray Honda Civic.
A third officer was injured by gunfire from a responding police officer, who mistook the situation for an active shooter event. The hospital was briefly locked down but has since resumed operations.
The suspected shooter, Nicholas Umphenour, is wanted for aggravated battery against law enforcement and aiding an escape. Authorities have urged the public to report any sightings of the getaway vehicle but not to engage with the suspects due to their dangerous nature.
Meade, serving a sentence for aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer, is a documented gang member with ties to the Aryan Knights. Despite the rarity of prison escapes, experts believe the suspects will likely be captured soon.
Law enforcement agencies across Idaho are collaborating on the investigation, emphasizing the need for heightened vigilance and security measures in such high-risk situations.
