PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- The search for escaped inmate Gino Hagenkotter, who fled from a Philadelphia prison, continues as authorities intensify their efforts to locate him. The U.S. Marshals have joined the search, which has entered its second day since Hagenkotter was last in custody.

Hagenkotter, 34, had been held for retail thefts but now faces additional, more serious charges. The escape took place while he was on work detail outside the Philadelphia Industrial Correctional Center. Taking advantage of an opportunity, he approached a corrections officer and requested to use the restroom. Seizing the moment, Hagenkotter scaled a fence and made his getaway.

During a news conference held on November 30, 2023, Philadelphia Prisons Department Commissioner Blanche Carney addressed the situation, stating, "In this case, you gave an individual an opportunity, and he took it."

This is the second escape from a prison on State Road in the past six months. Previous incidents included a female inmate scaling two razor wire-topped fences in September but being promptly apprehended.

Issues within the prison system have also come to light in the wake of Hagenkotter's escape. A corrections officer from the Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility, located near Riverside and the Philadelphia Industrial Correctional Center, revealed that incidents of violence, including stabbings, occur almost daily within the facilities. David Robinson, the president of the corrections officer union AFSCME LOCAL 159, cited staffing vacancies of over 40% as contributing to the unsafe environment for both inmates and staff.

In a tragic turn of events, sources have reported that a man was beaten to death at Curran-Fromhold early on Thursday morning. The victim, a 44-year-old individual who had been in the jail for less than one day, was in an intake unit at the time of the incident.

As the search for Hagenkotter intensifies, authorities are working tirelessly to ensure his recapture. The involvement of the U.S. Marshals reflects the seriousness of the situation, emphasizing the need for his swift apprehension.