80 inmates overpowered three guards at a North Carolina jail before authorities ended the takeover
Inmates stormed the corrections facility and seized parts of a prison in eastern North Carolina early Monday, but the siege ended hours later when law enforcement entered the facility and took control.
Three guards and 88 inmates were at the Bertie-Martin Regional Detention Center in Windsor when the takeover began around 5 a.m., prompting an immediate response from local, state and federal authorities, according to a statement from the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation posted on social media.
The Bureau of Investigation and the FBI “cleared the facility” by early afternoon, the state office said in a statement. “All inmates and staff are safe and in good condition, and those injured have been treated.”
The Bureau of Investigation said the facility would remain secure while damage was assessed and inmates were transferred to other facilities. Windsor is approximately 120 miles (190 kilometers) east of Raleigh.
Law enforcement officers stand outside the Bertie-Martin Regional Detention Center on Monday. – North Carolina Bureau of State Bureau of Investigation/AP
The prisoners captured two guards, while the third guard escaped. Negotiations led to the release of 80 inmates as well as two guards, leaving only eight inmates left inside, Bertie County Sheriff Tyrone Ruffin said at a news conference.
Ruffin said the two released guards received medical treatment but did not provide details about their injuries.
Ruffin said in a statement that there was no threat to the public.
Authorities did not explain why only three guards supervised the prison at the time of the takeover.
Ruffin did not specify what prompted the takeover.
“There’s a lot of things we’re trying to get under control right now,” he said. “I will share this information with the public as soon as possible.”
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