Authorities in Whitley County, Kentucky, are conducting an extensive manhunt for Charles Blake Randal, an inmate who escaped from the Whitley County Detention Center on the night of October 4, 2026. The incident occurred around 10:50 p.m. on KY Highway 92 West, prompting a rapid response from the Whitley County Sheriff’s Department, the Williamsburg City Police, and the Kentucky State Police. According to reports, jail staff members were assaulted during the disturbance that facilitated the escape. Randal, described as barefoot and wearing a gray shirt and gray pants, fled the facility on foot and entered a nearby wooded area. He is believed to be armed with pepper spray. Law enforcement agencies have alerted neighboring Campbell County, Tennessee, as Randal may have crossed the border into the wooded regions near the state line. A multi-agency search operation is currently underway, utilizing air support, canine units, and additional personnel to locate the suspect. Officials have issued a public safety warning, urging residents not to approach Randal if spotted due to the potential danger he poses. Instead, anyone with information regarding his location or direction of travel is instructed to contact Whitley County 911 Dispatch immediately. As of the morning of October 5, 2026, Randal remains at large, and the search efforts continue in the area surrounding the detention center.