BOISE, ID - Authorities have arrested two suspects for their involvement in ambushing two Idaho Department of Correction officers in an effort to help an inmate escape custody while at a hospital. A third arrest has also been made in connection to the incident, where a woman is accused of harboring the fugitive.
The violent incident left the two correction officers, plus a third who was shot by Boise police, with gunshot wounds. All three officers were treated for their injuries and remain in stable condition.
The incident took place in the early morning hours on Wednesday, March 20 as the correction officers were preparing to transport an inmate, identified as 31-year-old Skylar Meade, from Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center back to prison.
According to NBC24, police responded to the hospital on reports of an active shooter, with one officer firing his duty weapon at an armed individual near the entrance. That individual was later determined to be a correction officer. The hospital was placed on lock down as officers searched the area for the suspects.
The officers were attacked in an ambush-style shooting by an unknown suspect, who later was identified by police as 28-year-old Nicholas Umphenour. Umphenour and the inmate fled in a vehicle before law enforcement arrived on scene. According to reports, police were able to obtain a $2 million warrant for Umphenour's arrest on two charges of aggravated battery against law enforcement and one charge of aiding and abetting an escape.
In a news conference, Boise Police Chief Ron Winegar said, "We believe that this was a coordinated attack and ambush on the Department of Correction officers and certainly a planned endeavor to free (Meade) from custody." Police said that they also believe that these men are also connected to two Idaho homicides that occurred in the 24-hours prior to the ambush.
Winegar said that both suspects were arrested following a short vehicle pursuit arond 2:00 p.m. near the Twin Falls area and taken into custody separately. He said, "There were no shots fired or extensive use of force for this operation."
Detectives are investigating the homicides of two men and believe that Umphenour and Meade are connected to the incident. One victim was found in Nez Perce County and the other in Clearwater County.
A third suspect, 52-year-old Tonia Huber, has been arrested following a pursuit reaching over 100 MPH through a Twin Falls neighborhood. Huber is accused of harboring the fugitives.
Idaho Department of Correction Director Josh Tewalt said that Umphenour and Meade were housed together a handful of times while in prison between December 2020 and January 2024. Umphenour was released from prison in January and the two apparently knew each other outside of prison. It's unclear of the connection between the two and Huber.
Tewalt said that both men identify as part of the Aryan Knights, and Idaho-based prison gang with white supremacist ideology.
According to CBS News, during the news conference, Tewalt said that on Tuesday night, hours before the ambush happened, Meade had "engaged in self-injurious behavior" and so the officers determined that he needed to be transferred off-site for care. Meade has had many prior convictions and had been incarcerated since October of 2016 for aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer with a firearm enhancement. His most recent end of sentence date is set for sometime in 2036.
The violent incident left the two correction officers, plus a third who was shot by Boise police, with gunshot wounds. All three officers were treated for their injuries and remain in stable condition.
The incident took place in the early morning hours on Wednesday, March 20 as the correction officers were preparing to transport an inmate, identified as 31-year-old Skylar Meade, from Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center back to prison.
According to NBC24, police responded to the hospital on reports of an active shooter, with one officer firing his duty weapon at an armed individual near the entrance. That individual was later determined to be a correction officer. The hospital was placed on lock down as officers searched the area for the suspects.
The officers were attacked in an ambush-style shooting by an unknown suspect, who later was identified by police as 28-year-old Nicholas Umphenour. Umphenour and the inmate fled in a vehicle before law enforcement arrived on scene. According to reports, police were able to obtain a $2 million warrant for Umphenour's arrest on two charges of aggravated battery against law enforcement and one charge of aiding and abetting an escape.
In a news conference, Boise Police Chief Ron Winegar said, "We believe that this was a coordinated attack and ambush on the Department of Correction officers and certainly a planned endeavor to free (Meade) from custody." Police said that they also believe that these men are also connected to two Idaho homicides that occurred in the 24-hours prior to the ambush.
Winegar said that both suspects were arrested following a short vehicle pursuit arond 2:00 p.m. near the Twin Falls area and taken into custody separately. He said, "There were no shots fired or extensive use of force for this operation."
Detectives are investigating the homicides of two men and believe that Umphenour and Meade are connected to the incident. One victim was found in Nez Perce County and the other in Clearwater County.
A third suspect, 52-year-old Tonia Huber, has been arrested following a pursuit reaching over 100 MPH through a Twin Falls neighborhood. Huber is accused of harboring the fugitives.
Idaho Department of Correction Director Josh Tewalt said that Umphenour and Meade were housed together a handful of times while in prison between December 2020 and January 2024. Umphenour was released from prison in January and the two apparently knew each other outside of prison. It's unclear of the connection between the two and Huber.
Tewalt said that both men identify as part of the Aryan Knights, and Idaho-based prison gang with white supremacist ideology.
According to CBS News, during the news conference, Tewalt said that on Tuesday night, hours before the ambush happened, Meade had "engaged in self-injurious behavior" and so the officers determined that he needed to be transferred off-site for care. Meade has had many prior convictions and had been incarcerated since October of 2016 for aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer with a firearm enhancement. His most recent end of sentence date is set for sometime in 2036.
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