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Five youths briefly escape Agassiz Youth Centre in Portage la Prairie

File photo of RCMP vehicle.
File photo of RCMP vehicle. File / Global News

Five youths are facing charges after briefly escaping from the Agassiz Youth Centre in Portage la Prairie Friday evening.

An employee from the centre contacted Mounties around 6:30 p.m. to report six youths were attempting to escape underneath a fence.

One was caught before he was able to make it under the fence, while RCMP say another assaulted an employee of the centre with a shovel before getting away.

The group was last seen running across an open field.

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Around 17 officers, including two police dogs, responded from the Portage, Treherne, Amaranth and Headingley detachments.

RCMP say three suspects were caught within a short time, while the other two were captured within about two hours.

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It’s unknown whether the escape attempt was pre-planned or not.

Five male youths, all between the ages of 15 and 18, are charged with escape lawful custody and prison breach.

One is also facing an additional charge of assault with a weapon related to the shovel incident.

Mounties continue to investigate.

Click to play video: 'People living near Stony Mountain Institution question protocol after 2 inmates escape'
People living near Stony Mountain Institution question protocol after 2 inmates escape

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