Two corrections officers held hostage after inmates take over portions of North Carolina detention center
Article excerpt
Inmates at Bertie-Martin Regional Detention Center overpowered guards and held two officers hostage before order was restored, authorities said.
Inmates forcibly took over a local jail in North Carolina on Monday and held guards hostage for a few hours before releasing them through negotiations with various law enforcement agencies, according to state authorities.
The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation said the incident unfolded around 5 a.m., with inmates at the Bertie-Martin Regional Detention Center overpowering on-duty correctional officers.
When the takeover began, 88 inmates and three guards were inside the prison. Two guards were initially taken hostage and eventually released around 9:30 a.m., NCSBI said, while a third guard escaped the facility earlier. There were no fatalities.
“Our top priority is the safety of our staff, inmates, and the surrounding community,” Bertie County Sheriff Tyrone Ruffin said. “We are coordinating closely with multiple law enforcement partners to resolve this situation safely and as quickly as possible.”
Around 1:45 p.m., authorities said the incident ended and that federal and state law enforcement had cleared the facility.
“All inmates and staff are safe and accounted for, and those who sustained injuries have received treatment,” NCSBI said in a statement. “Inmates have been transferred to other facilities for housing, and the detention center will remain secured while personnel assess the extent of the damage. The public is asked to avoid the area as crews continue working to clear the scene.”
At least two groups of inmates were previously released from the facility through negotiations. A few remained in the prison at the time that the sheriff held a press conference. Authorities worked on getting the prisoners back into their jail cells.
It is unconfirmed as to why the inmates assaulted guards and took over the facility, but the incident appears to be related to concerns about conditions inside the detention center and the treatment of inmates. Ruffin acknowledged such concerns as “misinformation” and said he would address that further into the investigation.
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The FBI was among the mix of local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies that arrived at the scene to secure the perimeter. The detention center gets its name from two North Carolina counties, Bertie and Martin.
NCSBI said there is no active threat to the public and that it will provide additional information as it becomes available.