Deputies on Tuesday are searching for a dangerous inmate who escaped while being transported to the UNC Hospitals Hillsborough campus.
The Orange County Sheriff's Office is searching for Ramone Alston, 30, described as a Black man wearing a gray T-shirt, khaki pants and white New Balance tennis shoes. He was also seen wearing handcuffs connected to a belly chain with a black box over the junction.
Alston was serving a life sentence for first-degree murder at the Bertie Correctional Institution.
The North Carolina Department of Adult Correction is offering a $25,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of Alston.
Orange County Sheriff Charles Blackwood, North Adult Departmental of Correction communications director Keith Acree and Orange County Emergency Services Director Kirby Saunders spoke Tuesday at a news conference.
"We know that there are people out there who know where he is and probably have information to share," Acree said. "The hope is that this will be the carrot that draws them out and helps provide some important information and lead to his capture."
Orange County Emergency Services Director Kirby Saunders said authorities have searched 580 acres, which includes a one-mile radius around the UNC Hospitals Hillsborough campus. Blackwood said there are 114 law enforcement officers searching for Alston as of Tuesday.
"When I mentioned the one-mile radius, that's a probability circle that we are canvassing," Blackwood said. "There are many, many other addresses and locations that we are looking at right now."
Authorities have conducted door-to-door searches, looked through neighborhoods, woods and creeks.
"We want to maximize our efforts and the daylight helps us," Blackwood said. "But we won't stop just because it gets dark."
Blackwood he suspects that Alston got help in his escape.
Orange County deputies search for convicted murderer Ramon Alston
On Tuesday afternoon, Blackwood and North Carolina Department of Adult Correction Secretary Todd Ishee discussed the search for Alston.
“He’s either within a five-mile radius or he’s in the rest of the world, and we’re searching both,” Blackwood said Tuesday afternoon of the search for Alston.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office is working with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, according to Blackwood.
"If you see something, it might not mean anything to you, but it might mean something to us," Blackwood said. "So, even if it's just a very small thing, a detail, let us know."
How a convicted murderer escaped in Orange County
Alston escaped Tuesday while he was being transported to receive care at UNC Gastroenterology at Hillsborough, located at 460 Waterstone Drive, according to the state Department of Adult Corrections (DAC).
According to DAC, Alston escaped from custody around 7 a.m. when the prison transport van arrived at UNC Gastroenterology. He freed himself from leg restraints and, still in handcuffs, jumped out and ran into the adjacent woods. He was never treated.
"They're much like a handcuff, but they're a little bit larger [to] fit around your ankles," Blackwood said of the leg restraints. "And, it's connected by chain, which is about 2.5 feet long, and it's designed to keep you from getting a large gait if you decide to walk or run away.
"It also, when you put your foot down, puts pressure against your Achilles, which slows you a good bit. It's uncomfortable.
"How he got them off, I don't know."
Blackwood said Alston also had a belly chain.
WRAL News asked Blackwood why Alston would come to Orange County to receive medical care.
"Ramon Alston is a resident of Orange County [or] was before he went to prison," Blackwood said. "I would assume, and I don't know what he was coming here for, that's not been given to me.
"He had been treated here before, I believe. And, this is his home. And, maybe that was for continuity of care. I would have to ask the physicians and they won't tell me, so that's that."
The UNC Hospitals Hillsborough campus was on lockdown for a short period of time, according to a spokesperson. The lockdown was lifted around 8:45 a.m. Tuesday.
"One update on our staff, the staff that were directly involved [Tuesday] morning, the good news is, thank God, they are OK," Ishee said. "They were not seriously injured and we are thankful for that."
Blackwood said the Orange County Sheriff's Office would investigate the officers involved in Alston's transport.
"We investigate every aspect of what's going on from the time they left the facility to the time they got there and he broke away," Blackwood said. "Every bit of that will be under investigation."
Blackwood said Alston was the only inmate in the transport van along with two corrections officers.
At 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, Orange County deputies were using dogs to search a wooded area near the hospital. A helicopter was also being used in the search. According to DAC, Alston has friends and family who live in the area.
Blackwood said authorities are looking into whether Alston contacted anyone after his escape. Blackwood did not say if authorities were looking for a specific car in the search for Alston.
Around 9 a.m. Tuesday, several Orange County Sheriff's Office vehicles were parked near a neighborhood along Great Eno Path, located 0.5 miles from the hospital.
Alston was convicted in the 2015 death of 1-year-old Maleah Williams, who was shot while she was outside playing at the family's apartment in Chapel Hill.
Police said the girl was killed when shots were fired from a vehicle leaving the apartment complex. One of the bullets struck the girl, who was apparently an innocent bystander. She died three days later after she was taken off life support.
On Tuesday, UNC Health released the following statement: "The safety of our teammates, patients and visitors is the top priority for us. We are grateful for our law enforcement partners’ rapid response."
Durham Technical Community College's Orange County campus was also on lockdown. The college is canceling classes Tuesday and will remain closed for the rest of the day. Durham Tech leaders asked students, teachers and staff not to come to campus.
Search ongoing for Ramone Alston
A reporter asked Blackwood on Tuesday afternoon about his message to the public as the search for Alston continues.
Blackwood urged people to take precaution if they're in the area where Alston has been.
"As the day has gone on, seven, eight, nine [or] 10 hours, and we have not had any reported sighting, I'm not going to say lower your level of precaution, but you've got to live your life," Blackwood said.
Blackwood said authorities are confident they would find Alston.
Anyone who knows of Alston’s whereabouts is asked to call 911 or the sheriff’s office at 919-245-2900
