Reminds me of the opening chapter of a story I read many years ago.
In response to the catastrophe which premised the story, as well as I can recall.
“Some jailers released their prisoners, some shot them in their cells, others simply left them there”.
This is not the end of the world, convicts are not starving, no rational reason for this release.
Maybe their families donated to the appropriate campaigns. Or pur coincidene and error?