Newly elected Mower County Commissioner Garry Ellingson said he plans to contact Chief Sheriff’s Deputy Terese Amazi this morning to see whether there is anything the commissioners can do about Sunday’s jail break.

Monday, March 26, 2001

Newly elected Mower County Commissioner Garry Ellingson said he plans to contact Chief Sheriff’s Deputy Terese Amazi this morning to see whether there is anything the commissioners can do about Sunday’s jail break.

Ellingson remembered the last escape from the jail – built in 1952 – was 25 to 30 years ago. He said Sunday’s escape surprised him, because he believed the security in the facility was fine.

"It’s too bad it happened," he said. "My concern is the staff that was hurt. I’m more concerned about them. The jail staff has to deal with these people day in and day out. They never get away from it."

He went on to say the discussions the commissioners will have in the coming days will involve "procedural changes."

Just like the manhunt for the Downtown Motel murder suspects was successful thanks, in part, to the quick work of Twin Cities law enforcement agencies, so, too, has the manhunt of the fugitives now switched to the escapees’ families and street contacts.

"We’re cooperating and coordinating our efforts with the people in Austin," Michael Jordan, public information coordinator for the St. Paul Police Department, said this morning. "We’re making their potential whereabouts known and alerting our officers." He said people who are known to have spent time with the suspects in the past are being watched by St. Paul officers.

Jordan would not say whether any tips regarding the suspects had come into his department since the escape.

At least one of those tips came from a family of one of the accused murder suspects, unidentified by authorities, who were concerned the victims’ families would come to their residences, seeking the jail escapees’ whereabouts.

According to Sheriff Barry Simonson, that threat never materialized.

Austin Police Chief Paul M. Philipp said: "I am pleased with the response from our officers. They did an excellent job of following up on all leads. Everyone responded so quickly and professionally."

He also said, "I am disappointed that this happened."

Also Sunday in the midst of the efforts to search the city for the escapees, Austin police received a report from a citizen claiming to have seen an African-American man in an orange suit enter a southwest Austin residence.

The Austin Police Department’s Special Incident Response Team was dispatched to the residence, surrounded it and was given the order to enter by force. When officers close to the residence heard "thumps" and observed furniture being moved to block an entrance, their suspicions the escapees could be inside were heightened.

Upon kicking in the front door, they discovered two males and a woman who apparently were smoking marijuana and had a handgun in their possession, but they were not the escapees.

A quantity of cash and a small amount of marijuana were seized as well as the unregistered handgun.

Two males, ages 26 and 17, and a female, age 33, all from Milwaukee, Wis., were taken into custody, questioned and later released pending formal charges.

"One of the subjects was a black male, wearing an orange jacket," Philipp said. "Because of the strange noises and seeing a book case moved in front of the front door, the SIRT team felt very strongly the jail escapees could be inside and kicked in the front door to gain entrance."

The incident occurred at 11:30 a.m. Sunday at 1010 10th Ave. SW.

Later Sunday, a report of juveniles escaping from the Minnesota Sheriff’s Youth Program’s Austin Ranch School also created a momentary diversion for officers searching for the jail escapees. However, the juveniles on run returned tot he facility and officers returned to their highest priority: tracking the fugitives.

Today, Philipp agreed with Simonson and Amazi, "I feel very strongly these guys are definitely out of the Austin area and there is nothing to fear in the city that the escapees are still at large here."

Call Kevira Mertha at 434-2233 or Lee Bonorden at 434-2232. E-mail them at newsroom@austindailyherald.com.