A fully shackled man charged with attempted aggravated murder escaped the state mental hospital and was last seen fleeing south on Interstate 5, Oregon troopers announced Thursday.
Christopher Lee Pray, 39, had been moved from the downtown Portland jail to the Oregon State Hospital in Salem on Wednesday, but was soon transferred again to a local emergency room after he became involved in an “altercation” with another patient, according to a spokesperson for the state facility.
State hospital staff were taking Pray back to the campus in an unmarked white Dodge Caravan when he commandeered the vehicle and drove off about 10:30 p.m., said the spokesperson, Amber Shoebridge.
One of the workers was injured in the escape, Shoebridge said, adding that she didn’t know if the worker had sought medical care.
State troopers say they learned of the escape by 10:45 p.m. and gave chase on the interstate, but later disengaged from the high-speed pursuit out of safety concerns.
“Pray is considered extremely dangerous and should not be approached,” Oregon State Police said in a statement.
State Police Capt. Kyle Kennedy defended the 12-hour delay in notifying the public, saying troopers were not immediately aware of Pray’s criminal history on Wednesday evening.
“As our investigation revealed more information, we confirmed the information and made notification as soon as practical,” he said.
Pray, who has ties to the Portland metro area, was in handcuffs with shackles on his legs and stomach when he broke free and fled. He was last seen wearing a white T-shirt, maroon sweatpants and black rubber slippers, according to authorities.
Troopers described Pray as 6-feet and 170 pounds, with brown hair and eyes and trimmed facial hair. He has a tattoo of his last name — PRAY — on his right forearm and a letter “S” tattoo visible on his neck, possibly standing for the word “supreme.”
His van carries the official state license plate E265614.
Authorities ask anyone who spots the runaway inmate to dial 911 immediately.
Pray is charged with first-degree robbery and attempted murder on in Multnomah County stemming from an incident on March 12, 2022, records show. A circuit judge found him unable to aid in his own case and ordered him to receive treatment at the state hospital earlier this month.
In another open case, he’s charged with firing a gun while robbing an auto parts store in Portland on March 21, 2022, according to court documents. Pray has at least 16 felony convictions on his record for charges including first-degree robbery, being an inmate with a weapon, smuggling contraband into prison and resisting arrest, records show.
