FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. — An urgent search in Fayetteville is underway Thursday morning after a prisoner escaped from custody at the Cape Fear Medical Center Wednesday night, officials said.
Edward Moore, 39, of 5007 Birch Road in Fayetteville, escaped around 6:30 p.m. when he assaulted a deputy, according to the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office.
During the escape, he took a deputy’s Taser and then fled the hospital, stealing a green Buick van in the process, deputies said.
The van was stolen from Naloni Williams, who was at the hospital with her father, she said.
“I was unloading him, got him in a wheelchair and when I stood up, turned to take him inside the inmate ran out with a weapon pointed at us, yelling, ran around my vehicle and got in and took off,” she said. “I was wondering what was going to happen to my dad. He’s already sick. That’s my daddy. You know, who’s going to get hurt? What’s gonna happen next?”
Deputies say Moore, who is believed to still be wearing an orange jumpsuit with shackles on his legs, is armed and dangerous.
“Moore was an inmate .. for bank robberies. He is EXTREMELY dangerous,” Fayetteville Police Tweeted.
The Buick van, with a Taser inside, was found abandoned after 8 p.m. on Fresno Drive off Santa Fe Drive in Fayetteville.
On Thursday morning, deputies said it isn’t clear if Moore planned his escape but he most likely has received help since.
In that area, more than 40 officers were searching for Moore on Wednesday night.
Moore was at the hospital for an injury and ran through the hospital’s emergency room to make his getaway, officials said.
“It’s a very unfortunate situation, we’re making progress, we’ve recovered van, woman’s cell phone, officer’s Taser, now just a matter of locating the prisoner,” said Cumberland County Sgt. Sean Swain.
Officials are asking asking anyone with information on Moore’s whereabouts to call 911 or the sheriff’s office at (910) 323-1500.
