NASHVILLE, Sept. 2 (UPI) -- Police in Nashville are combing the area after 32 underage offenders escaped from a juvenile detention center late Monday night.
Officials from Woodland Hills Youth Detention Center confirmed that the teens successfully crawled under a perimeter fence Monday night during a shift change.
"At about 11 o'clock last night, about 32 youth -- we believe -- got out of their dorms and managed to slip underneath the perimeter fence," Rob Johnson, communications director for the Tennessee Department of Children's Services, told WSMV.
"Staffing is lighter during the overnight hours, and so, presumably, they planned for that, but we don't know quite yet. The facility, as I understand, is under control. They've brought in extra staff."
Fifteen escaped teens were successfully apprehended near Woodland Hills overnight, but authorities continue to search for the remaining 17. There have been no reports of criminal activity in the area surrounding the facility.
All of the escapees were between 14 and 17 years old and most committed at least three felonies. They were last seen wearing gray or white t-shirts, dark blue pants and white or black sneakers.
Woodland Hills houses 78 juvenile offenders. In May, roughly six teens broke out of the facility simply by flipping a switch to disarm dorm security. All involved were later apprehended.
NEW: 32 teens have escaped from a #Nashville youth detention center http://t.co/Iby4PQWBBB pic.twitter.com/YCKDtuPPjN
— David Nelson (@DavidNelsonNews) September 2, 2014About half the 32 teens who escaped from a Nashville youth detention center last night caught http://t.co/s9GBPjYlPs pic.twitter.com/sDtobqUGP6
— CBS News (@CBSNews) September 2, 2014Mass escape at a Tennessee youth detention center. 32 teens get out by crawling under a fence http://t.co/YkFFU6qWrB pic.twitter.com/RcGFDr4xAI
— WLTX - On Your Side (@WLTX) September 2, 2014
