Washington state police have launched a manhunt after two mentally ill patients, who are considered dangerous to other people, escaped from Western State Hospital Wednesday evening.
The last confirmed whereabouts of the two men, 28-year-old Anthony Garver and 59-year-old Mark Alexander Adams, were in the hospital's dining hall at about 6 p.m. on Wednesday. However, hospital staff didn't realize that the pair had gone missing until 7:30 p.m., prompting them to notify police about the disappearance.
Police believe that the pair likely used a loose window in their room to escape the facility on foot before catching nearby transportation, according to Lakewood Police. Prior to their escape, both had been housed in the facility's locked civil ward.
Garver and Adams had been admitted to the hospital in February 2015 after both were deemed incompetent to stand trial for crimes they had committed. Garver, described as being 5-foot-8 and weighing 250 pounds with curly brown hair and a beard or mustache, was arrested for the 2013 murder of a woman he allegedly gagged with a ball of cloth before stabbing her in the chest 24 times and slashing her throat. He was last seen wearing a brown, faded sweatshirt and orange flip flops.
Meanwhile, Adams, described as 6 feet tall and weighing 210 pounds with long brown hair, was arrested in 2014 for second degree assault/domestic violence. He was last seen wearing a white T-shirt and grey shorts.
In response to their escape, especially since they were both deemed dangerous, police have launched an intensive manhunt in order to ensure their capture. Other local enforcement agencies and transit systems have been alerted, and as of Wednesday, investigators were at the hospital gathering more information.
So far, police have at least one clue to work off of. They - for one reason or another - suspect that Adams, originally from Snohomish County, will try to flee to California. However, there's no word on what Garver, who is originally from the Spokane area, may be planning.
In the meantime, police urge anyone who potentially sees the two escapees to not contact them and immediately call 911 instead.
