UPDATE: Shane Pryor was captured on Sunday, officials said. Latest details here.
As Philadelphia police continue to pursue a teen murder suspect who remains on the loose, officials revealed a detailed timeline of how he escaped from a Philadelphia children's hospital.
Supervisory Deputy U.S. Marshal Robert Clark provided an update on the search for 17-year-old Shane Pryor during a Friday afternoon press conference and had a message for the teen.
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“Over the past two days, I have heard the family of Shane Pryor claiming his innocence for the murder which he has been charged," Clark said. "However, it is my contention, that flight is an indicator of guilt and the longer Pryor stays on the run, the more desperate he becomes. This desperation could lead to further crimes being committed to aid his flight and this would be detrimental to his future court cases. If Shane Pryor wishes to contest his charges, he should be fighting his case from the courtroom and surrender to the nearest police officer immediately.”
The search for Shane Pryor
Timeline of how Shane Pryor escaped
On Jan. 24, at 11:51 a.m., Pryor -- who was charged as an adult in a 2020 homicide -- was being transported to the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) in University City for treatment for a hand injury, investigators said. During the transport, Pryor escaped from the escorting staff, according to investigators.
Clark said the staff members from the juvenile justice center chased after Pryor on foot but were unable to catch him, possibly slipping on ice during the pursuit.
“I believe that they may have slipped," Clark said. "I know they were pursuing. I don’t know the exact circumstance why they didn’t catch up to him. But they were extremely close, I was told almost in arm’s length of him, when they couldn’t catch up to him.”
Surveillance video shows that at 11:55 a.m., Pryor entered the lobby of the Hub for Clinical Collaboration building at CHOP. Investigators said Pryor asked an employee at the desk if he could use her cellphone but the employee told him no. The teen then exited the building, according to Clark.
Clark said he's unsure if any alerts were issued at CHOP at the time.
“I’m not sure about the alerts. Or if alerts went out with photos or if they were just generic text alerts. I just don’t know. That’s something to ask CHOP," Clark said.
At 11:57 a.m., Pryor asked a civilian woman on Civic Boulevard if he could use her phone to which she said yes, according to investigators. Pryor then called his associate, 18-year-old Michael Diggs, and asked him to pick him up, officials said.
Investigators believe Pryor moved in and out of various buildings at CHOP as he waited for Diggs to pick him up.
At 12:29 p.m., Diggs arrived on the 3500 block of Civic Boulevard in a Ford Fusion, investigators said. Pryor entered the vehicle which left University City, according to officials.
No lockdowns were in place Wednesday, and the CHOP Emergency Room remained open, Philadelphia Police Deputy Commissioner Frank Vanore said.
In the immediate aftermath of the escape, police searched buildings near CHOP and a nearby parking garage, Vanore explained.
At 1:13 p.m., Pryor and Diggs were captured on surveillance video at a corner store at the intersection of Mascher Street and Godfrey Avenue, officials said.
At 1:31 p.m., Philadelphia Police posted an alert of Pryor's escape on X, formerly known as Twitter.
At 2 p.m., Pryor and Diggs left the area inside the Ford Fusion, according to Clark.
Several hours later, at 6:38 p.m., Philadelphia Police pulled over the Ford Fusion on the 200 block of East Logan Street. Investigators said Diggs was inside the car but Pryor was not. Diggs was then taken into custody for questioning.
On Thursday, Diggs was charged with hindering apprehension, escape, use of communication facility and criminal conspiracy.
Police also confirmed a woman had been questioned by investigators earlier on Thursday in connection to the search for Pryor. She was later released, however.
Clark said investigators are unsure of where Pryor went between 2 p.m. Wednesday when him and Diggs left the area of Mascher Street and Godfrey Avenue and 6:38 p.m. when police found Diggs in the Ford Fusion and detained him.
“We don’t know. We’re working on it," Clark said. "Historically we know that Shane Pryor has connections to Mayfair. He’s been stopped in Mayfair. I believe he has some brief criminal history in Mayfair. So the Mayfair section of the city is definitely of interest to us. But as of knowing exactly where he was, we don’t have that information right now.”
Clark said investigators believe multiple people -- possibly friends and family members -- are helping Pryor as he remains on the run. Clark warned that anyone helping Pryor would be arrested and prosecuted. Clark also said investigators believe Pryor is still in Philadelphia.
What we know about Shane Pryor
Pryor turns 18 next month, stands about 5-foot, 7-inches and weighs about 180 pounds, according to police.
New surveillance video from inside a corner store near Godfrey Avenue and Mascher Street in West Philadelphia shows Pryor in a royal blue Under Armor hoodie with a black hat that reads "Mea Culpa."
Witnesses initially told police Pryor may have removed his sweatshirt and was wearing a blue T-shirt at the time of his escape, according to investigators. During the Friday afternoon press conference, Clark said they're unsure at this point what clothes Pryor may be currently wearing, however.
Police said they don't believe he has any weapons, but he is considered dangerous.
A $5,000 reward is being offered for information leading to Pryor's arrest.
If you see Pryor, police urge you to not approach him, but to call 911 right away.
You can also submit a tip by calling 215-686-TIPS (8477).
A mother's plea for her son to peacefully surrender: 'let us fight for you'
"He never mentioned anything like this, I never had indication he would even do something like this," Pryor's mother -- who asked not to be named or have her face shown -- told NBC10.
She told NBC10 what she would say to him if she could.
"I’m just pleading with you to turn yourself in so situations don’t get as worse as is already becoming and just let us fight for you the best that we can for where the situation is now so that things don’t get worse," she said. "I just don’t want him to get hurt out there.”
Why was Shane Pryor in custody?
Court documents show Pryor was in custody on murder and weapons charges. Vanore explained that Pryor has remained in custody since his October 2020 arrest and is currently awaiting trial.
A judge recently denied Pryor's request to be tried as a juvenile, and his lawyer now thinks that may be why Pryor escaped.
Pryor's lawyer, Paul DiMaio, told NBC10 that his client has always maintained his innocence.
"I just think the kid is scared. The judge denying the decertification may be the reason for his escape since he has always maintained his innocence," DiMaio said.
Pryor was just 14 years old when police said he shot Tanya Harris in the head and killed her in a rear alley along Torresdale Avenue, according to court documents.
There are additional resources for people or communities that have endured gun violence in Philadelphia. Further information can be found here.
A court affidavit goes on to say that Pryor said it was the other juvenile that he was with who shot Harris.
But, police then said that Pryor's statement to them conflicted with video at the scene, so they charged him with murder and related offenses. He has been held in custody without bail since.
Victim's family devastated by escape
Harris' daughter -- who asked not to be named -- told NBC10 that her family is devastated he was able to escape.
She said that Harris met Pryor through her son and took him in when he needed a place to stay for three months. During that time, Harris provided food and a home for Pryor.
Harris' daughter said her mother had a huge heart and loved kids. She doesn't know why her mother would be killed.
Pryor wasn't living with Harris at the time of her murder, according to Harris' daughter.
She also thinks Pryor's escape might be a blessing in disguise once he is found because it might speed up the court process. She believes it's dragged on too long.
The victim's daughter wants Pryor to be "punished to the fullest extent of the law and tried as an adult."
A previous escape attempt
Wednesday wasn't Shane Pryor's first attempt at escaping, police told NBC10.
According to court documents, when police first stopped Pryor following the homicide that he was a suspect in, officers asked him to sit in the back of their patrol vehicle.
Pryor then allegedly tried to break away and run. He was eventually stopped and transported to homicide detectives.
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