Prisoners seized control of portions of a regional jail in eastern North Carolina on Monday after overwhelming correctional officers on duty, according to authorities.
The incident began around 5 a.m. at the Bertie-Martin Regional Detention Center in Windsor, where just three guards were responsible for overseeing 88 inmates at the time. The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation announced the takeover in a statement on social media, noting that local, state, and federal agencies responded immediately.
Bertie County Sheriff Tyrone Ruffin assured the public there was no immediate danger to surrounding communities. Windsor is located approximately 120 miles, or about 190 kilometers, east of Raleigh.
During the standoff, inmates took two of the three guards hostage while the third managed to escape. Through negotiations, authorities secured the release of both guards along with 80 of the inmates. That left eight prisoners still inside the facility. By early afternoon, the Bureau of Investigation had entered the building and was working to take those remaining inmates into custody, Sheriff Ruffin said at a news conference.
Ruffin noted that the inmates who were released were moved to a “secure place,” though he did not elaborate further. The two guards who had been held captive were receiving medical treatment, but the sheriff offered no additional details about the nature of their injuries.
Authorities did not explain why only three guards were on duty to manage the entire jail population when the incident unfolded.
A secure perimeter was set up around the detention center, and the public was urged to stay away from the area. More than 20 law enforcement agencies were on the scene.
The sheriff did not indicate what triggered the takeover, but told reporters, “Right now we have a lot going on that we’re trying to get under control. I will release that information to the public as soon as I can.”
