According to Allen County Sheriff Sam Crish on Facebook Thursday night, Chardon High School shooter T.J. Lane, who has been convicted and sentenced to life in prison for the murder of 3 teenagers, has escaped from the Allen County Correctional Institution in Lima, Ohio.
T.J. Lane escaped along with two other inmates and one of the inmates was captured.
Police did not release any further information on how the inmates escaped from prison.
Lima Police Sgt. Andy Green said officials are now searching areas near the prison for Lane, 19, and another man, Clifford E. Opperud, 45, who also escaped.
Ohio Department of Public Safety Director John Born in a news release says,
All available troopers from the Ohio State Highway Patrol have been joined by Allen County Sheriff's deputies and local area law enforcement in establishing a perimeter and searching the area. A patrol helicopter with advanced infrared detection equipment has been deployed and is engaged in the search as well.
Allen County Sheriff Sam Crish told ABC News. He said it wasn't clear if they were armed, but nevertheless were still "considered to be very dangerous."
Officials are warning residents of Lima, Ohio, near the prison to not open doors to strangers or pick up hitchhikers. A police dragnet was moving through the town and police asked residents not to tweet the location of officers.
