Gregory Redden was returned to state custody Wednesday evening after escaping during treatment at Nashville General Hospital.
NASHVILLE, TN — A 63-year-old Tennessee inmate who escaped custody while receiving treatment at Nashville General Hospital was apprehended Wednesday evening, ending a search that involved Nashville police and the Tennessee Highway Patrol.
Gregory Lynn Redden was back in Tennessee Department of Correction custody by Wednesday night, state officials said. The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department said he was found near Dr. D.B. Todd Jr. Boulevard and Jefferson Street. Authorities had been searching for Redden since his escape from the hospital earlier in the afternoon.
Police said Redden escaped from Nashville General Hospital on Albion Street around 2 p.m. Wednesday. He had been in the custody of the Tennessee Department of Correction and was at the hospital for treatment. Police said he was able to get out of his handcuffs and leg shackles before leaving the hospital.
The escape prompted a public search involving multiple agencies. The Tennessee Highway Patrol assisted Nashville police as authorities worked to locate Redden. Police released his description and images during the search. He was described as 5 feet, 5 inches tall and weighing about 120 pounds. Authorities said he was last seen after the escape wearing a white T-shirt, blue scrub pants and tennis shoes.
Officials did not immediately release details explaining how Redden was located or the circumstances of his apprehension. The Tennessee Department of Correction announced at 6:57 p.m. Wednesday that Redden had been apprehended and returned to its custody. The department said additional information would be provided as details became available.
Redden is serving time for a 2010 aggravated robbery conviction, according to Nashville police. Authorities did not immediately announce whether he would face additional charges related to Wednesday’s escape. No injuries connected to the escape or subsequent search were reported in the information released by officials.
The incident also raised questions about security procedures used when incarcerated people receive medical treatment outside correctional facilities. The Department of Correction declined to provide further details about its security plan when asked by local media, saying such information is considered confidential and is not available for release.
Nashville police initially asked the public for information about Redden’s whereabouts as officers searched for him Wednesday afternoon. By later that evening, the department confirmed that he had been located near the intersection of Dr. D.B. Todd Jr. Boulevard and Jefferson Street and was no longer at large.
The Tennessee Department of Correction has not released additional information about how the escape occurred, how long Redden was outside custody or whether the department is conducting an internal review. Officials said further updates could be released as more information becomes available.
Author note: Last updated October 22, 2026.