Ty Conn
Encyclopedia
Tyrone Williams "Ty" Conn (January 18, 1967 – May 20, 1999) was a Canadian
bank robber
. He was the only person in the last half century to escape over the wall from the Kingston Penitentiary
, one of Canada's most secure prisons.
Conn was transferred to Kingston Penitentiary for acting as an informant
at the Millhaven Institution
. He advised security staff at Millhaven that fellow inmates were planning an escape and was therefore placed in protective custody.
Conn's escape on May 6, 1999 from inside the compound was the 26th in the history of facility. More than 50 escapees were involved in those 26 incidents. Conn employed a ladder and homemade grappling hook to scale the wall and used cayenne pepper
to prevent dogs from following his scent.
Conn had already escaped from several lower-security institutions. He was found in a Toronto
apartment building two weeks later and surrounded by police, only to commit suicide
rather than be captured. Other theories assert that Conn accidentally discharged the stolen shotgun in his possession during the standoff while he was speaking on the telephone to Theresa Burke
, a CBC
producer.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
bank robber
Bank robbery
Bank robbery is the crime of stealing from a bank during opening hours. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Uniform Crime Reporting Program, robbery is "the taking or attempting to take anything of value from the care, custody, or control of a person or persons by force or threat of...
. He was the only person in the last half century to escape over the wall from the Kingston Penitentiary
Kingston Penitentiary
Kingston Penitentiary is a maximum security prison located in Kingston, Ontario between King Street West and Lake Ontario....
, one of Canada's most secure prisons.
Conn was transferred to Kingston Penitentiary for acting as an informant
Informant
An informant is a person who provides privileged information about a person or organization to an agency. The term is usually used within the law enforcement world, where they are officially known as confidential or criminal informants , and can often refer pejoratively to the supply of information...
at the Millhaven Institution
Millhaven Institution
Millhaven Institution is a maximum security prison located in Bath, Ontario. Approximately 400 inmates are incarcerated at Millhaven. Opened in 1971, Millhaven was originally built to replace the area's other maximum security prison . A riot at Kingston Penitentiary forced Millhaven to open...
. He advised security staff at Millhaven that fellow inmates were planning an escape and was therefore placed in protective custody.
Conn's escape on May 6, 1999 from inside the compound was the 26th in the history of facility. More than 50 escapees were involved in those 26 incidents. Conn employed a ladder and homemade grappling hook to scale the wall and used cayenne pepper
Cayenne pepper
The cayenne pepper—also known as the Guinea spice,cow-horn pepper, aleva, bird pepper,or, especially in its powdered form, red pepper—is a red, hot chili pepper used to flavor dishes and for medicinal purposes. Named for the city of Cayenne in French Guiana, it is a cultivar of Capsicum annuum...
to prevent dogs from following his scent.
Conn had already escaped from several lower-security institutions. He was found in a Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
apartment building two weeks later and surrounded by police, only to commit suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
rather than be captured. Other theories assert that Conn accidentally discharged the stolen shotgun in his possession during the standoff while he was speaking on the telephone to Theresa Burke
Theresa Burke
Theresa Frances Veronica Burke is a Canadian writer, journalist and producer for the CBC's television newsmagazine, the fifth estate...
, a CBC
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
producer.