MARIETTA, Ga. -- Police and a Cobb County hospital are on high alert after a prison inmate escaped while receiving care.
Cobb County police said the prisoner, who had been taken to Wellstar Kennestone Hospital, escaped around 3 a.m.
Friday during an officer shift change. Jules Jackson slipped out of his handcuffs and jumped out of a second-floor window at the hospital, according to police.
"He was handcuffed to the bed," Cobb County Police Officer Sarah O'Hara said. "I do not know how he slipped out of the handcuffs."
The hospital confirmed that the man was seen running across the roof before authorities lost track of him. Now, Marietta and Cobb police are on the lookout.
"Now that he is out of our direct custody, it's possible he might be armed," O'Hara said.
A spokesperson for the hospital said they are taking precautions to ensure the safety of employees, patients and visitors. The hospital was initially on placed on lockdown according to Cobb County police. However, they now believe Jackson has left the property and the lockdown has been lifted.
Jackson was one of two suspects who were arrested for armed robbery at 2767 Leland Drive on Thursday afternoon.
Police said he was in the hospital after allegedly swallowing a "potentially dangerous amount" of drugs just prior to arrest. He was taken to the hospital for 24 hours of observation.
Aside from trying to find Jackson, police will start looking into how it happened.
"I know there was a change in shifts, from evening watch to morning watch. I don't know if that had a direct factor in the officer walking out of the room, or not," O'Hara said.
"The policy states that they should be with the suspect," O'Hara said. "Whether that's in the room or in the immediate area, we typically do have eyes on the suspect."
