Police established a perimeter near Mount Sinai Medical Center before announcing that the person had been found Thursday afternoon.
MIAMI BEACH, FL — An escaped prisoner was taken back into custody Thursday afternoon after Miami Beach police launched a search and established a perimeter near Mount Sinai Medical Center, authorities said.
The search prompted a significant police response near the hospital during the late afternoon of Sept. 17. Miami Beach police initially described the incident as involving a possible escaped prisoner and asked people to avoid the area while officers worked to locate the person. Police later announced that the individual was in custody.
The Miami Beach Police Department did not immediately identify the prisoner or release details about why the person had been in custody. Authorities also did not say where the person escaped from, how the escape occurred or how long the individual was being sought before being found.
Police announced the developing search as officers converged on the area surrounding Mount Sinai Medical Center. Local television reports showed a large law enforcement presence near the hospital during the 4 p.m. hour as officers maintained the perimeter.
Miami Beach police initially urged the public to avoid the area while the operation was underway. At that stage, officials had not said whether the person being sought was considered dangerous or whether there was a specific threat to patients, hospital staff or nearby residents.
Authorities confirmed a short time later that the prisoner had been taken back into custody. NBC 6 reported that aerial footage showed a man in police custody behind a building, but police had not released further information about how officers located the prisoner or whether anyone assisted in the search.
The rapid change from an active search to an arrest brought the immediate police operation to a close. Officials had not reported any injuries connected to the escape or the search in information released by early Thursday evening.
The incident unfolded near Mount Sinai Medical Center, a major hospital campus in Miami Beach. Police did not immediately explain whether the prisoner’s presence in the area was connected to medical treatment, a transfer or another circumstance. No information had been released identifying the agency that originally had custody of the prisoner.
Several key details remained unknown after the person was located, including the prisoner’s identity, the reason for the original detention and whether additional charges could result from the escape. Police had not announced further investigative findings as of Thursday evening.
The prisoner remained in custody after the search ended, according to Miami Beach police. Authorities had not announced additional public-safety measures or provided a timetable for releasing more information about the circumstances surrounding the escape.
Author note: Last updated Sept. 17, 2026.