Manhunt Launched After 6 Inmates Escape California Jail Using Homemade Rope

Authorities in Northern California have initiated a manhunt for six inmates who escaped from Merced County Downtown Jail over the weekend.

Hispanic fugitives who escaped from Merced County Downtown Jail in California on Jan. 10, 2021. Courtesy of Merced County Sheriff's Office

Authorities in Northern California are hunting for six inmates who escaped from Merced County Downtown Jail over the weekend, police confirmed in a press release Sunday.

Merced County Sheriff’s Office said that a preliminary investigation showed the fugitives escaped the facility by using a “homemade rope to scale down the side of the jail” via the roof.