Haitian authorities nab about 1 dozen of 172 escaped inmates

ARCAHAIE, Haiti — Police officers were searching cars and boats for escaped prisoners on Sunday after recapturing at least a dozen of the 172 inmates who overpowered guards and escaped from a lockup in central Haiti, the prison’s director said.

The prison break occurred Saturday in Arcahaie, a coastal town about 30 miles north of Haiti’s capital. The community is far from the southwest area that was slammed by Hurricane Matthew’s eye earlier this month.

One guard was reported killed and others were injured as some escapees exchanged gunfire with guards using stolen weapons. An inmate reportedly died after falling while scaling a prison wall.

The inmates attacked after they were released from a crammed holding pen to bathe, according to provincial authorities.