Eleven people who were detained in New Orleans prisons, including a convicted of four murders, escaped early Friday morning.

These escapes prompted local, state and federal officials to launch a "full search operation" and warned community members that were looking for "armed and dangerous".

"Take it seriously, guys," New Orleans Police Commissioner Anne Kirkpatrick said in a press conference late Friday evening. Sheriff Susan Hutson, whose agency runs the prison, said: "We urge the public to remain alert."

Eleven prisoners who escaped from the Orleans Justice Center (OJC) were charged with various crimes including weapons charges, attempted murder, domestic abuse and murder. Guardian partner WWL Louisiana reported two inmates were arrested Friday.

Louisiana police said on X that they captured one of the so-called escapees after a brief pursuit near New Orleans’ famous French Quarter.

Among the escapees is Derrick Groves, who injured two people in October in the Lower Nine neighborhood of New Orleans on February 13, 2018, while two people in the Lower Nine neighborhood of New Orleans as the city celebrates fat. Jurors found him guilty of second-degree murder and attempted murder, and despite the mandatory life sentence in the murder case, he has been awaiting a sentence in the case, court records show.

In addition, after being convicted at the trial, Groves pleaded guilty to the 2017 double homicide.

The prisoners allegedly escaped at midnight, but the facility's defenders didn't notice that they didn't leave until 8.30 a.m. local time, the routine total.

Hours after officials announced their escape, a criminal justice source provided a photo to the guardian showing a window-sized hole in the wall of the OJC cell that led to the outside. The handwritten messages left around the hole include reading "Fuck Opso," referring to the Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office in charge of the prison and "suck my guy OJC."

"We are innocent," another message read. There is another misspelled arrow pointing to the hole in the cell wall and reading: "Simple lol."

Authorities did not immediately confirm the authenticity of the photo, although multiple law enforcement sources told the Guardian that they believed the image was real.

Officials did not ask any questions at the press conference, but said the FBI, the U.S. Marshal and state police are helping the city's police department and sheriff's representatives find the escapees. Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill said her office will "completely review" how the breakthrough happens once everyone is captured.

"We are conducting a comprehensive investigation to determine how this escape occurs, including reviewing facility protocols, employee performance and physical safety measures ... any mistakes or failures that lead to this incident will be resolved quickly and fully responsible."

The Orleans Justice Center was formerly known as the Orleans Parish Prison. This has long been a scrutiny of allegations of civil rights violations by the Department of Justice, leading to a reform agreement with the federal government in 2016. An independent monitor tracks the prison’s compliance with the reform agreement, which is known as the Consent Order.

Donald Trump's administration recently ordered a review of all consent statutes affecting U.S. law enforcement agencies, calling them "political handcuffs that make it possible to actively enforce impossible laws." The government said the purpose of the review was to determine the amendment, revocation or move “measures that do not hinder the performance of law enforcement functions would make sense”.

Murill told WDSU that Friday's incident was not "good" due to the prison's consent order.

Friday's escape came less than two weeks after New Orleans voters reapproved at the thinnest margins — in the Sheriff's Office, responsible for the maintenance of property tax funds, staffing and certain programs at the city's prison. One initial charge reportedly found that two votes were passed after more than 24,000 votes were voted. Subsequently, a recap of tax renewal was passed by four votes.

After the re-time, Hutson provided a statement to the news outlet that she would ensure her office “continue to make sure our representatives are well equipped and provide transformative justice so that detainees can appear better than they do”.

"The daily progress is more obvious," the statement said.

Ramon Antonio Vargas of New Orleans contributes the report