The Escape

The 2015 escape from Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora, New York, became one of the most infamous prison breaks in modern American history.

On the night of June 5, 2015, convicted murderers Richard Matt and David Sweat escaped from the maximum-security prison after spending months secretly cutting through steel walls and navigating utility tunnels before emerging outside the prison perimeter. Their escape triggered a massive 22-day manhunt that stretched across New York's North Country and drew national media attention.

As a photographer based in the region, I followed and documented as much of the event as possible, capturing the atmosphere, law enforcement presence, and the impact the manhunt had on local communities. The unprecedented search effort brought hundreds of officers, helicopters, roadblocks, and media crews to the area, transforming the quiet North Country into the center of a nationwide story.

The manhunt ended when Richard Matt was shot and killed by law enforcement near Malone, New York, and David Sweat was wounded and captured near the Canadian border two days later. The escape exposed significant security failures within the prison system and remains one of the most remarkable criminal manhunts in New York State history.