A prisoner arrested for gun possession escaped from a hospital in Upper Manhattan on Tuesday, marking the city's second prisoner escape in as many weeks, police said.
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Eric Cruz, 29, bolted from New York-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center on West 168th Street near Broadway around 8:45 a.m. Cruz, wearing only a hospital gown, fled the facility and may have entered a nearby subway station, according to authorities. The 168th Street A, C, and 1 train station is located just steps from the hospital.
Cruz was receiving medical treatment at the facility after being arrested the previous day for weapon possession in a nearby neighborhood. He was apprehended around 11 hours earlier in Washington Heights on the weapons charge, which also included an unlicensed general vendor charge. Police have not yet released details about the nature of his medical treatment, nor why he was in the hospital, per the New York Post.
Hospital Escapes An Issue?
Cruz's escape follows a similar incident just days earlier. On Thursday, Gilberto Sanchez, 50, escaped from the Brooklyn Hospital Center around 2 p.m. Sanchez, who had been arrested on petit larceny and other charges, managed to flee the medical facility but was quickly apprehended later that night in Boerum Hill, Brooklyn. Police tracked him down near the intersection of Bergen and Dean streets, multiple news outlets reported
The recent escapes raise concerns about security at medical facilities where prisoners are being treated. Both Cruz and Sanchez managed to evade capture briefly, sparking increased efforts by police to locate them.
As of Tuesday, Cruz remains at large. Authorities have not disclosed whether they believe Cruz is still in the area or if he has left Manhattan. Law enforcement officials continue to investigate the escape and are urging the public to report any sightings or information that could help in his capture.
The two escapes highlight the challenges police face when managing prisoners receiving medical treatment outside of correctional facilities. As the search for Cruz continues, authorities are working to tighten security at hospitals to prevent further incidents.
