In Boise, Idaho, a dramatic turn of events unfolded as two men faced arraignment on Monday, following their involvement in a daring prison escape and a subsequent attack at an Idaho hospital, which resulted in three correctional officers sustaining gunshot wounds.
The individuals in question, Skylar Meade, the inmate who managed to escape, and Nicholas Umphenour, a former inmate who shared a cell block with Meade, are identified as affiliates of a white supremacist prison gang, as per police reports. Additionally, the duo is under suspicion for the murder of two individuals in northern Idaho, although charges related to these deaths are pending.
The charges brought against them during the arraignment included felony escape for both men. Umphenour faces further charges, including three counts of felony aggravated battery on an officer and employing a deadly weapon during the commission of a felony. According to prosecutors, Umphenour’s gunfire targeted correctional officers Elijah Jackson, Daniel Lopez, and Christopher Wilskie in a calculated effort to facilitate Meade’s escape. Two officers were directly injured by Umphenour’s shots, while a third suffered injuries from a police officer’s gunfire, who, upon spotting an armed individual near the hospital’s entrance, opened fire.
Described by Ada County Deputy Prosecutor Heather Reilly as a “pre-planned violent ambush-assisted escape,” the attack occurred in the early hours of Wednesday morning. Magistrate Judge Michael Dean, citing the defendants’ potential danger to the community and risk of flight, upheld their bond at $2 million.
The sequence of events leading to the hospital attack began when Meade, after sustaining injuries in prison, was transported to Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center in Boise for emergency care. As correctional officers were preparing to escort Meade back to the Idaho Maximum Security Institution around 2 a.m., Umphenour launched his ambush in the hospital’s ambulance bay, resulting in two officers sustaining serious gunshot wounds and a third officer being injured by friendly fire under the mistaken belief that the shooter was inside the emergency room. All three officers were hospitalized with serious injuries, though two have since been discharged, and the third is expected to be released shortly.
Following the attack, Meade and Umphenour fled the scene, prompting a widespread search. This search led to the discovery of two deceased men in Clearwater County and Nez Perce County, near the Washington state border. The presence of shackles at one of the crime scenes hinted at a connection to Umphenour and Meade, further supported by the sighting of a victim’s vehicle in Filer, Idaho, some 400 miles to the south. An FBI agent, monitoring the area, observed the suspects departing in separate vehicles, leading to a pursuit and their eventual arrest.
While both Meade and Umphenour are linked to the same white supremacist prison gang, authorities have yet to directly associate the escape or subsequent charges with gang-related activities. During their court appearance on Monday, both men, clad in orange and yellow jail attire, appeared via video link, with Umphenour in a jail conference room and Meade in a cell. They were not given the opportunity to enter a plea but are scheduled for preliminary hearings next month.
Representing Meade is Ada County public defender Savannah Bell, and Umphenour’s legal representation comes from Brian Marx, also an Ada County public defender. Attempts to reach both attorneys for comments on Monday afternoon were unsuccessful.