Last weekend, a convict escaped from a small jail in North Carolina by way of the ventilation system. Law enforcement officers are currently searching for this offender.
The Craven County Sheriff’s Office has stated that the search for John Matthew Nigh is still underway and that all law enforcement agencies in the state have been notified about his escape.
On Sunday afternoon, officials discovered that Nigh was not in his cell at the Craven County Jail. They discovered that his bunkies had helped him escape.
“The inmate, assisted by his two cellmates, had removed a ceiling grating, entered a utility ceiling chase, and exited the roof through a ventilation housing,” according to the sheriff’s office. “The cellmates concealed his escape by stuffing a mattress, making it appear that he was sleeping in his cell.”
A dangerous escapee, identified as a 6’2″, 190-pound white male called Nigh from New Bern, North Carolina, is being actively sought by authorities.
He is well-known for having a cross tattoo on his right arm and the words “JMN” on his upper left arm.
Officials have stressed that he should be viewed as a dangerous person because of his history of violent run-ins with the law.
There are significant offenses on Nigh’s criminal record. He allegedly opened fire on cops from the Onslow County Sheriff’s Office in June 2024, one of the most prominent occurrences that took place last summer.
Nigh allegedly attempted to escape when deputies arrived at his location, despite their efforts to arrest him for multiple outstanding offenses in another county.
In the process, he shot three deputies with two bullets from a small caliber handgun. Luckily, Nigh was subdued and taken into custody by the authorities without any injuries.
Nigh was accused with several serious felonies after that confrontation, including refusing, delaying, or obstructing an officer, three counts of assault on a law enforcement officer by pointing a firearm, and three counts of attempted first-degree murder.
Authorities are treating him as a high-risk suspect who may be armed and potentially dangerous due to his violent behavior against officers and his criminal background.
In order to help find Nigh, the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force has joined the investigation and is contributing more resources and assistance.
Law enforcement organizations are collaborating to find and capture the fugitive, and the search for him is still ongoing. The search has now spread to nearby places, including Craven County, which is around 60 miles from Goldsboro, when Nigh managed to escape using a ventilation system.
police are asking the public to exercise caution and notify local police right away if they see Nigh because of his aggressive tendencies and past attempts to elude law enforcement.
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They keep emphasizing the dangers to public safety and stressing how crucial it is to regard him as dangerous and armed.
Officials are optimistic that the coordinated efforts of federal and local agencies will result in Nigh’s detention and stop any additional carnage as the manhunt heats up.
