Oregon Police Capture ‘Extremely Dangerous’ Inmate Two Days After Escape From Mental Hospital

The police on Friday apprehended an “extremely dangerous” prisoner who escaped a mental hospital in Oregon and drove away in a stolen van, prompting a statewide manhunt. 

The Oregon State Police said in an update Friday afternoon that Christopher Lee Pray was brought to a hospital after being trapped in a pond and rescued by emergency crews. He gave the hospital staff a fake name, but they notified the Portland Police Bureau, who confirmed his real identity.

The Portland Police Bureau (PPB) were initially dispatched in response to a report about a potentially dead person in a pond at North Force Avenue and North Victory Boulevard in Portland. When rescue crews arrived at the scene and communicated with the person— who at the time was still not identified as Pray— they notified the PPB that police were no longer needed.

Pray was stuck in the mud, approximately 75 feet from firm ground, and he was buried up to his armpits, according to the police. Rescue crews used a ladder and a rope to remove him within one hour.

He was later transferred for medical evaluation at Legacy Emanuel Medical Center, where he was arrested after authorities confirmed his identity.

Pray, who was previously charged with attempted murder and other crimes, escaped the Oregon State Hospital, located in Salem. The Oregon State Police were notified about his escape on Wednesday 10:45 p.m. local time.

The police warned in an alert at the time that “Pray is considered extremely dangerous and should not be approached.” 

When he escaped, Pray was fully restrained with leg shackles, a belly chain, handcuffs, and a restraint connecting all three together, according to the police.

Pray was previously in custody at Multnomah County Jail before being transferred to the facility on Wednesday, for multiple serious charges, including attempted aggravated murder. Court documents said he was unfit to proceed with his trial, the Associated Press reported.

The escapee had “an altercation with another patient” after he was admitted and needed treatment, according to the AP. He was brought back to the Oregon State Hospital that night in a hospital van that he was “able to gain control of” and drive away in it.

The Oregon State Police is currently investigating his escape and they will provide another update on Tuesday.