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Escaped Houston inmate captured at mom’s home, 2 others arrested for hindering

HOUSTON – The hunt for an escaped inmate has concluded Friday after authorities were able to capture him at a relative’s home. 2 others have been also taken into custody for hindering the search.

Investigators say Nigel Sanders, 35, was found at his mother’s house on Force St. in the Cloverleaf area of east Harris County. She and Sanders’ sister were both arrested for helping him.

Sanders initially resisted arrest when they tried taking him into custody and authorities say they had to use tasers to subdue him.

Officials said the community’s tips were partly responsible for assisting in finding him, but they are still trying to figure out how he got from downtown to where he was arrested and how he escaped from jail.

The 35-year-old is also facing additional charges for aggravated robbery and escape, in addition to his original charges.

This is a developing story and will continue to be updated as more information becomes available.

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ORIGINAL STORY:

A manhunt ensued in Houston Thursday afternoon after a man escaped police custody and attempted to steal a woman’s car.

According to Jeff McShan with Harris County Constable Precinct 1, police are still searching for a man who escaped custody at the Harris County Criminal Justice Center and jumped into Buffalo Bayou.

During a press conference addressing the situation, the Harris County Sheriff’s Office identified the suspect as 35-year-old Nigel Sanders.

Sanders has a lengthy criminal history which includes assault and burglary charges as well as weapon and drug possession offenses.

Police believe Sanders was also involved in the burglary of the Fighter Nation Boxing Gym we reported on back in May.

Sanders allegedly carjacked a female temp worker outside of the courthouse with a knife, causing her to immediately crash her car. After the attempted armed robbery, the suspect took off on foot, and authorities haven’t seen him since. Authorities do not know where he obtained the knife.

Reports indicated that he might have jumped into the nearby Buffalo Bayou, but officials are not sure of his current whereabouts.

The circumstances leading up to his escape are currently unknown. Houston police announced the manhunt on X, describing Sanders as wearing orange pants and a black shirt.

UHD issued an alert for people to secure and get indoors immediately. The campus was under lockdown for more than two hours in response to the escape.

Sanders is considered armed and dangerous, and you are asked not to approach him. If you see him, police advise you to call 9-1-1 immediately.


About the Authors
Ahmed Humble headshot

Historian, educator, writer, expert on "The Simpsons," amateur photographer, essayist, film & tv reviewer and race/religious identity scholar. Joined KPRC 2 in Spring 2024 but has been featured in various online newspapers and in the Journal of South Texas' Fall 2019 issue.

T.J. Parker headshot

T.J. Parker joined KPRC 2 in June 2023 and is happy to be back in Houston. Before coming back to the Lone Star State, T.J. was a reporter in Miami at WSVN Channel 7. There he covered all things up and down the south Florida coast.

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