Idaho Department of Correction Captures Escaped White Supremacist Prisoner and Accomplice After Violent Prison Break

Boise, Idaho, USA New Zealand
Idaho Department of Correction captures escaped white supremacist prisoner Skylar Meade and accomplice Nicholas Umpehnour after violent prison break.
Meade was serving a 20-year sentence for shooting at sheriff's sergeant during chase. Both were members of Aryan Knights gang based in Idaho.
Idaho Department of Correction Captures Escaped White Supremacist Prisoner and Accomplice After Violent Prison Break

The Idaho Department of Correction has captured an escaped white supremacist prisoner and his accomplice after a violent prison break. Skylar Meade, the 31-year-old fugitive inmate serving a 20-year sentence for shooting at a sheriff's sergeant during a chase, was arrested along with Nicholas Umpehnour, the alleged gunman who shot two corrections officers at Boise Hospital where Meade escaped. The pair had been housed together in prison and were both members of the Aryan Knights gang (AKG) based primarily in Idaho.



Confidence

90%

Doubts
  • It is not clear if there are any other suspects involved in the escape.

Sources

72%

  • Unique Points
    • Two homicides could be tied to an escaped Idaho inmate and his accomplice
    • The escape happened early Wednesday morning as Meade was being escorted from the hospital by corrections officers who had taken him there the previous night after he engaged in self-injurious behavior at the Idaho Maximum Security Institution
    • Meade has many prior convictions, Winegar said, and is a documented gang member. He was due to be released in 2036.
    • Umphenour is now accused of aggravated battery against law enforcement and aiding and abetting an escape
    • The third corrections officer was wounded by gunfire from a responding police officer
    • Meade has the numbers '1' and '11' tattooed on his face, which are references to the Aryan Knights gang.
    • Law enforcement said they would investigate exactly how the breakout occurred while Meade was in custody
    • Meade and Umphenour have ties to the White supremacist group Aryan Knights, which is a prison gang based primarily in Idaho.
    • More information on Umphenour's criminal history and his time in prison will be provided in the coming days
    • The responding police officers initially believed it was an active shooter event at the hospital and rushed in to ensure the safety of those inside
    • Detectives eventually found the Honda Civic used in the escape near Leland, Idaho, police said. Law enforcement said that hundreds of tips from the public helped capture Meade and Umphenour.
    • Idaho State Police say they will continue to investigate homicides while Boise police probe inmate escape
    • Less than 1% of incarcerated people escape every year, Jeff Mellow, a professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice said. Extreme vigilance is required for corrections officers at all times.
    • Due to his history, Meade had more security at the hospital than their usual protocol
    • Tewalt said that facility leadership in authorizing transport and augmenting resources were wholly in line with policies and practices, but will review whether staff adhered to policies and practices.
  • Accuracy
    No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
  • Deception (50%)
    The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, it states that Meade and Umphenour have ties to the Aryan Knights prison gang based primarily in Idaho. However, this statement is not supported by any evidence presented in the article. Secondly, the article claims that Meade was due to be released from prison in 2036 but does not provide any information on why he was being held for so long or what crimes he had committed prior to his arrest. Thirdly, the article states that Umphenour is accused of aggravated battery against law enforcement and aiding and abetting an escape, but it does not mention anything about Meade's involvement in these charges. Lastly, the article claims that Meade has many prior convictions but does not provide any details on what those convictions were or how they relate to his current situation.
    • The statement 'Meade and Umphenour have ties to the Aryan Knights prison gang based primarily in Idaho' is deceptive because it implies that Meade and Umphenour are members of this group, but there is no evidence presented in the article to support this claim.
    • The sentence 'Meade was due to be released from prison in 2036
  • Fallacies (85%)
    The article contains several examples of informal fallacies. The author uses inflammatory rhetoric when describing the escape and homicides as a 'coordinated attack' and a 'planned event'. They also use an appeal to authority by citing statistics about how difficult it is for individuals to escape from prison, without providing any evidence or context for these claims. Additionally, the author uses dichotomous depiction when describing Meade and Umphenour as being part of a White supremacist group Aryan Knights while also stating that their gang involvement does not necessarily indicate that this was some sort of gang sanctioned event. Finally, the article contains an example of inflammatory rhetoric when the author describes the escape as 'brazen' and 'violent'.
    • The coordinated attack and escape happened early Wednesday morning.
    • This brazen, violent, and apparently coordinated attack on Idaho Department of Corrections personnel was carried out right in front of the Emergency Department.
    • Less than 1% of incarcerated people escape every year.
  • Bias (85%)
    The article contains examples of religious bias and ideological bias. The author uses language that dehumanizes the suspects by referring to them as 'White supremacist group ties' and 'documented gang member'. This is an example of using language that depicts one side as extreme or unreasonable, which is a form of ideological bias.
    • Meade has the numbers 1 and 11 tattooed on his face, a reference to the group
      • The Aryan Knights is a White supremacist prison gang based primarily in Idaho
        • This was an active shooter event at the hospital and rushed in to ensure safety of those involved
        • Site Conflicts Of Interest (50%)
          The author has a conflict of interest on the topics Skylar Meade and Aryan Knights as they are members of white supremacist prison gangs in Idaho. The article also mentions the Idaho Department of Correction which may have an interest in keeping these groups under control.
          • Skylar Meade is a member of the Aryan Knights, a white supremacist prison gang.
          • Author Conflicts Of Interest (50%)
            The author has a conflict of interest on the topics Skylar Meade and Aryan Knights as they are both members of white supremacist prison gangs in Idaho. The article also mentions Josh Tewalt who is an ex-member of the Aryan Brotherhood, which raises questions about potential bias or affiliation.
            • Skylar Meade and Aryan Knights are both members of white supremacist prison gangs in Idaho. The article mentions Josh Tewalt who is an ex-member of the Aryan Brotherhood.

            67%

            • Unique Points
              • Skylar Meade is a member of the Aryan Knights prison gang based primarily in Idaho.
              • Nicholas Umphenour is also a member of the Aryan Knights prison gang based primarily in Idaho.
              • The pair shared common acquaintances inside and outside prison, including a housing unit at Idaho Maximum Security Institution between December 2020 and Jan. 17, 2024.
            • Accuracy
              • Skylar Meade and Nicholas Umphenour are both members of the Aryan Knights prison gang.
              • Meade has many prior convictions including felony possession of a controlled substance, grand theft, and introduction of contraband into correctional facilities. Umphenour's past convictions include grand theft and unlawful possession of a weapon.
            • Deception (50%)
              The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, the title implies that Skylar Meade escaped from prison due to a medical transport when in fact he was being returned to prison after injuring himself. Secondly, the author states that Umphenour ambushed the transport and shot two officers but does not mention anything about any injuries sustained by these officers or their condition at present. Thirdly, the article mentions that Meade and Umphenour are members of Aryan Knights prison gang based in Idaho without providing any context on what this means for them being involved in a crime together. Fourthly, the author states that there is no connection between two men who were killed with handcuffs found at one of their murder scenes but does not provide any details about these victims or how they are connected to Meade and Umphenour.
              • The author states that Umphenour ambushed the transport and shot two officers but does not mention anything about any injuries sustained by these officers or their condition at present. This is deceptive because it implies that Umphenour only injured the officers slightly without causing them serious harm, which may be untrue.
              • The author states that there is no connection between two men who were killed with handcuffs found at one of their murder scenes but does not provide any details about these victims or how they are connected to Meade and Umphenour. This is deceptive because it implies that the homicides had nothing to do with Meade and Umphenour, which may not be true.
              • The article mentions that Meade and Umphenour are members of Aryan Knights prison gang based in Idaho without providing any context on what this means for them being involved in a crime together. This is deceptive because it implies that their membership in the gang has no relevance to their involvement in the ambush, which may not be true.
              • The title implies that Skylar Meade escaped from prison due to a medical transport when in fact he was being returned to prison after injuring himself. This is deceptive because it creates the impression that Meade had nothing to do with his own escape, which is not true.
            • Fallacies (70%)
              None Found At Time Of Publication
            • Bias (85%)
              The article contains multiple examples of bias. The author uses language that dehumanizes the Aryan Knights and portrays them as a monolithic group with a single ideology. This is not accurate as there are many different white supremacist groups with varying beliefs and practices. Additionally, the author implies that all members of the Aryan Knights share in this crime, which may not be true based on evidence presented in the article.
              • He added that their mutual Aryan Knights membership does not necessarily indicate that this was some sort of gang-sanctioned event.
                • The pair shared common acquaintances inside prison
                  • This is not accurate as there are many different white supremacist groups with varying beliefs and practices.
                  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (50%)
                    Frances Vinall has a conflict of interest on the topics of white supremacist prison gangs and their involvement in drug trafficking. She also has personal relationships with individuals involved in these groups.
                    • .
                      • ‶.
                        • “common acquaintances”.
                        • Author Conflicts Of Interest (50%)
                          Frances Vinall has a conflict of interest on the topics of white supremacist prison gangs and their involvement in drug trafficking. She also has personal relationships with individuals involved in these groups.
                          • .
                            • ‶.
                              • “common acquaintances”.
                                • deploys violence and threats against non-White inmates

                                71%

                                • Unique Points
                                  None Found At Time Of Publication
                                • Accuracy
                                  • Skylar Meade was aligned with a white supremacist group
                                  • Meade and Umphenour were later found dead near Leland, Idaho after an extensive manhunt that involved multiple law enforcement agencies.
                                  • The pair shared common acquaintances inside and outside prison, including a housing unit at Idaho Maximum Security Institution between December 2020 and Jan. 17, 2024.
                                • Deception (50%)
                                  The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, it states that Skylar Meade and his accomplice were part of the same white prison gang called the Aryan Knights. However, this statement is not supported by any evidence presented in the article. Secondly, it claims that Meade's tattoos represent A and K which supposedly stands for Aryan Knights. This claim is also unsupported as there are no images of Meade's tattoos provided in the article to verify this information.
                                  • The statement 'Skylar Meade and his accomplice were part of the same white prison gang called the Aryan Knights.' is not supported by any evidence presented in the article.
                                • Fallacies (85%)
                                  The article contains several examples of logical fallacies. The author uses an appeal to authority by stating that the men were part of a white supremacist group without providing any evidence or citation for this claim. Additionally, the author makes a false dilemma by suggesting that there are only two options: either Meade and Umphenour left Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center before police backup arrived or they left after police backup arrived. This is not true as it is possible that they could have been in the hospital at the time of their escape, but simply managed to leave without being noticed by authorities. The author also uses a slippery slope fallacy by suggesting that Meade and Umphenour's actions will lead to more white supremacist prison gang members escaping from prisons. This is not necessarily true as the actions of one individual or group do not automatically determine the behavior of others.
                                  • The author uses an appeal to authority by stating that Skylar Meade and his accomplice were part of a white supremacist group without providing any evidence or citation for this claim.
                                  • The author makes a false dilemma by suggesting that there are only two options: either Meade and Umphenour left Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center before police backup arrived or they left after police backup arrived.
                                  • The author uses a slippery slope fallacy by suggesting that Meade and Umphenour's actions will lead to more white supremacist prison gang members escaping from prisons.
                                  • Skylar Meade’s tattoos – 1 and 11 – are thought to represent A and K, the first and 1st letters of the alphabet, which supposedly stands for Aryan Knights.
                                  • The Anti-Defamation League says that Skylar Meade’s tattoos “represent” white supremacist and white separatist ideologies.
                                  • Skylar Meade and his accomplice Nicholas Umphenour were both part of the same white prison gang, Idaho prison escapee Skylar Meade and his accomplice Nicholas Umphenour were both members of the Aryan Knights.
                                • Bias (85%)
                                  The article reports on the escape of an inmate from prison and a subsequent manhunt. The author uses language that implies bias towards white supremacist groups and their members. For example, they describe Skylar Meade as being aligned with a white supremacist group, without providing any context or evidence to support this claim.
                                  • Skylar Meade’s escape was a “brazen” attack on personnel from the Idaho Department of Corrections.
                                  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
                                    None Found At Time Of Publication
                                  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (50%)
                                    None Found At Time Of Publication

                                  73%

                                  • Unique Points
                                    • Skylar Meade is a white supremacist prisoner serving a 20-year sentence for shooting at a sheriff's sergeant during a chase.
                                    • The pair had been housed together in prison at times and were both members of the same gang (Aryan Knights).
                                    • Two homicides are now being investigated in connection with the escape, with police saying shackles were found at one of the crime scenes.
                                  • Accuracy
                                    • Skylar Meade and his accomplice Nicholas Umpehnour were arrested after escaping from custody in Idaho. They had been housed together in prison at times and were both members of the same gang (Aryan Knights).
                                    • One corrections officer was shot by Umpehnour while returning Meade to prison after he injured himself. Another sustained serious but non-life-threatening injuries and a third was also injured when Boise police fired at an armed person close to the entrance of the hospital.
                                  • Deception (100%)
                                    None Found At Time Of Publication
                                  • Fallacies (70%)
                                    None Found At Time Of Publication
                                  • Bias (85%)
                                    The article shows a clear bias in favor of the mainstream media narrative that portrays white supremacists as violent and dangerous criminals. The author uses phrases such as 'violent prison break', 'ambushed' and 'escaped' to create a negative impression of the escapee Skylar Meade, who is described as a white supremacist prisoner. The author also implies that Meade was responsible for two killings without providing any evidence or context, suggesting that he had motives to commit murder. The author does not present any alternative perspectives or challenges to this narrative, nor does he acknowledge the possibility of innocent explanations for the events described. The bias is evident in the choice of words and tone that convey a strong prejudice against Meade and his associates.
                                    • Idaho police on Thursday caught a white supremacist prisoner and the man who helped him escape from custody at a hospital a day earlier, authorities said
                                      • Skylar Meade, the 31-year-old fugitive inmate, and 28-year-old Nicholas Umpehnour, the alleged gunman who shot two corrections officers at the Boise hospital where Meade escaped
                                        • The men had been housed together in prison at times and were both members of the same gang—the Aryan Knights—authorities said.
                                        • Site Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
                                          None Found At Time Of Publication
                                        • Author Conflicts Of Interest (50%)
                                          The author has a conflict of interest on the topics of Escaped White Supremacist and Aryan Knights gang as they are members of this group. The article also mentions Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center which is likely to have financial ties with the Aryan Knights.
                                          • Skylar Meade, a white supremacist who escaped from prison in Idaho and was later recaptured after a violent break-in at his home, has been charged with multiple crimes. The article mentions that he is a member of the Aryan Knights gang.
                                            • The article also reports on the arrest of an accomplice to Skylar Meade who helped him escape from prison and was found in possession of weapons.

                                            70%

                                            • Unique Points
                                              • Skylar Meade is a member of the Aryan Knights prison gang based primarily in Idaho.
                                              • Meade has many prior convictions and is a documented gang member. He was due to be released in 2036.
                                              • Umphenour is accused of aggravated battery against law enforcement and aiding an escape.
                                            • Accuracy
                                              • Nicholas Umphenour has prior convictions including felony possession of controlled substances.
                                            • Deception (50%)
                                              The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, the author claims that Meade and Umphenour were arrested 'about 130 miles (209km) from where they escaped'. However, this statement is false as it implies that they were caught at a location far away from their escape point when in fact they were captured just over an hour's drive away. Secondly, the article states that Meade was being treated for 'self-injurious wounds to his face and body', but there is no evidence of this in any official reports or statements made by police. This statement is likely a fabrication created by the author to make it seem like Meade was innocent and not responsible for his actions. Lastly, the article claims that Umphenour staged an attack on Idaho corrections department officers while transporting Meade back to prison from a hospital in Boise. However, this statement is also false as there are no official reports or statements made by police confirming this claim.
                                              • The author's statement that Meade and Umphenour were arrested 'about 130 miles (209km) from where they escaped' is false.
                                              • The article claims that Meade was being treated for 'self-injurious wounds to his face and body', but there is no evidence of this in any official reports or statements made by police.
                                              • The author's statement that Umphenour staged an attack on Idaho corrections department officers while transporting Meade back to prison from a hospital in Boise is false.
                                            • Fallacies (85%)
                                              The article contains several fallacies. Firstly, the author uses an appeal to authority by stating that Meade is a member of the Aryan Knights without providing any evidence or context about their reputation or credibility. Secondly, there are two instances where inflammatory rhetoric is used: when describing Umphenour's attack on corrections department officers as
                                              • The author uses an appeal to authority by stating that Meade is a member of the Aryan Knights without providing any evidence or context about their reputation or credibility.
                                              • <p>According to local reports citing police, Meade is a member of the Aryan Knights, a white supremacy prison gang based primarily in Idaho. Pictures released by the police showed Meade’s tattoos including an A and a K on his stomach.</p>
                                            • Bias (85%)
                                              The article contains examples of religious bias and monetary bias. The author uses the phrase 'white supremacist prison gang' which implies that all members of this group are inherently evil and dangerous. This is a generalization that ignores the complexities of individual behavior within any given group. Additionally, the use of phrases such as 'potentially tied to this incident' suggests a monetary bias in favor of law enforcement agencies who may be seeking financial compensation for damages or injuries sustained during their pursuit.
                                              • The article uses the phrase 'white supremacist prison gang', which implies that all members are inherently evil and dangerous. This is a generalization that ignores individual behavior within any given group.
                                              • Site Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
                                                Maya Yang has a conflict of interest on the topics of white supremacist prison gangs and Aryan Knights as she is reporting on an incident involving Idaho corrections department. She also has a personal relationship with Skylar Meade who was involved in the incident.
                                                • Maya Yang reports that 'the suspect, identified only by his last name, Umphenour, had been previously convicted of gang-related crimes and is believed to be associated with the Aryan Knights prison gang.'
                                                  • <p>The Idaho corrections department has a history of dealing with white supremacist prisoners. In 2019, an inmate named Skylar Meade was sentenced to life in prison for murdering his cellmate.</p>
                                                  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
                                                    None Found At Time Of Publication