A Haiti prison escape has led to a massive manhunt for 174 inmates who bolted after a guard was killed and guns were taken.
The Arcahaie prison in northern Haiti housed 266 prisoners at the time of the break, reported Reuters. The prison is about 30 miles north of the nation's capital of Port-au-Prince.
The inmates broke into an area used by guards on Saturday and took at least five rifles. One guard was shot to death, noted Reuters.
Camille Edouard Junior, Haiti's minister of justice, said one prisoner died during the escape and 11 inmates were captured.
"One guard was killed during the incident," Edouard Junior said. "Three prisoners were wounded, including one who died as a consequence of his wounds."
Edouard Junior said the alleged leader of the break, convicted kidnapper Yvener Carelus, was captured after the prison break, according to The Associated Press.
"He planned the escape from the inside with a few accomplices," the minister said.
CNN said teams from Haiti's SWAT unit and defense forces searched for the escaped inmates. Reuters reported that United Nation peacekeepers were also employed to help.
A statement from the Haiti prime minister's office said "heavily armed individuals" led the prison uprising but it was not clear how the escapees broke out and how many were armed, reported CNN.
Reuters said that since Arcahaie prisoners do not wear uniforms, it made it easier for them to blend into the general population.
The U.S. Embassy in Haiti was notified Saturday of the jail break and that American citizens should avoid the Arcahaie area.
"Pease keep in mind that demonstrations in Haiti, even peaceful ones, can escalate quickly and even turn violent, so the embassy urges all U.S. citizens to remain vigilant, be aware of their surroundings, and avoid this area as much as possible," the embassy said. "Should you find yourself among or near protesters, depart the area immediately."
Haiti is still reeling from the effects of Hurricane Matthew earlier this month. Almost 900 people were killed and about 90 percent of some areas had been destroyed, according to the BBC News.
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