Tasmanian prison escapee Nicholas Scott shot dead in Hobart suburb of Granton
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The prison escapee is found shot to death in the front yard of a quiet street as police reveal he fled guards at hospital hours before his death while another man is taken to the doctor with head injuries.
- Prisoner who escaped from hospital was found shot to death outside his home in Hobart
- Another man, age 20, was admitted to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
- Local residents are shocked by the incident in the normally very quiet area.
A prisoner who escaped custody while being treated at a Hobart hospital was found shot to death outside a house, while another man who was on the property will be questioned by police.
Police were called to a home in Granton, in the north of the city, around 1:30 a.m. Tuesday after reports of gunshots.
They found the body of Nicholas Aaron Scott, 26, outside the house.
Nicholas Aaron Scott, 26, escaped from prison guards Monday night during a hospital stay.
Another man, age 20, was discovered inside the home with non-life threatening head injuries.
He is recovering in the hospital and will be questioned by the police.
Police were notified by the state prison service at around 10:50pm on Monday that Scott had escaped from custody at Royal Hobart Hospital.
“He had been in prison and for medical reasons was asked to be taken to (hospital) for some treatment,” Detective Inspector Troy Morrisby said.
Inspector Morrisby said prison guards were at the hospital with Scott, but did not provide further details about how he escaped or traveled about 17 kilometers north to Granton.
He said the two men knew each other.
Scott was discovered shot to death outside a suburban home in North Hobart (pictured)
A woman and a teenage boy were also in the home at the time of the shooting.
‘That area is known to us. We are aware of a small group of people who have resided there,” Insp Morrisby said.
“But the vast majority of that area and that street is occupied by wonderful residents, law-abiding residents.”
“It is understandable that this incident is concerning to the police and the community at large.”
“I assure the community that this incident was between people who know each other and that there is no threat to the community at large.”
Granton resident Rod Curtin said the Mercury he was shocked by what had happened.
“It’s a bit of a shock to find something happening so close to home in a quiet area,” he said.
A 20-year-old man was found inside the home with non-life-threatening injuries and will be questioned by police.
“I think there’s been some issues going on for a long time, going back and forth all the time,” Granton said of those involved in the shooting.
“We have a lot of problems with the motorcycles going up and down from here to that house, but other than that, we haven’t had any problems with them.”
Scott had a lengthy criminal record and was sentenced to three and a half years in prison in February 2021, backdated to 2020, for seven offenses, including aggravated robbery.
He was granted parole later that year. It is not clear how he ended up in custody.
The sentencing judge noted that he had an “extensive record” of crimes, but was no longer dependent on drugs and was motivated to recreate a relationship with his son.