Juveniles Escaped From Detention Center Using Guns, Investigation Suggests

Two juveniles broke free from Gilliam Youth Services Center in Denver, Colorado, on May 6. While one of them is under custody, the other is still on the run.

CBS4 reported that someone threw a gun over the fence to a waiting inmate who picked it up and took a fellow inmate hostage.

The inmates together walked out of the detention center with one of them holding the other at gunpoint. One of them was arrested on the same day just two blocks away from the facility.

The officials at the youth detention center do not carry guns.

Longe Thau, 17, the second suspect, is described as a 5-foot-9 and 130 pounds boy and is still on the run. He has been known to carry weapons, according to the Denver police. He is wanted for escape and weapons violations. Police said that they do not know if he is on foot or in a vehicle.

The police wasn’t sure if a gun was involved in the escape on May 7, but, a youth service specialist at the detention facility reported to the police that a resident was holding a gun and making threats. A handgun was later recovered a few blocks away from the facility.

Nourie Boraie, spokesperson for the Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS) said that they are disturbed by the details surrounding the recent events at Gilliam Youth Services Center but thankful that no one was injured in the incident.

“We are cooperating with law enforcement in their investigation while we undergo our own investigation into this incident. DYS [Division of Youth Services] takes the safety and security of all the staff and youth in our care very seriously and we are always improving processes and implementing new measures to ensure a safe environment,” she said.

“DYS is working to increase security measures and provide active response training for staff. DYS will continue to improve systems and processes to prioritize the safety of the community, staff and kids we serve,” she added.

The police are asking for the public’s help in finding the escapee and have asked the public to contact Crime Stoppers at 720-913-STOP (7867) or to text CRIMES (274637) then title DMCS and enter your message.

The Denver police have also said that if the information given by anyone leads to the arrest of the juvenile, a cash reward up to $2,000 will be given.

According to the CDHS website, the juvenile center, the oldest operating detention center in Colorado, opened in 1903. The facility centers 64 juveniles aged between 10 and 17.