A small riot at a Kansas prison ended peacefully Friday after about 50 inmates took over a cellblock to apparently protest a lack of protective supplies amid an outbreak of coronavirus, according to NBC News citing the Kansas Department of Corrections.
It was the second such uprising around the country in as many days while a growing number of jails and prisons are facing an onslaught of new infections.
The hours-long disturbance at Lansing Correctional Facility began Thursday afternoon and was limited to a medium-security unit that also houses an infirmary and several offices.
»COMPLETE COVERAGE: CORONAVIRUS
No injuries were reported, but some property had been heavily damaged.
All staff members in the unit were able to scramble to safety as the incident began to escalate, NBC reported. A special response team was dispatched, and nearby roads were closed.
Reports say inmates broke into offices, threw around papers and set off fire extinguishers. ABC News reported that inmates also set small fires during the rampage.
As the melee continued, prison officials chose to wait out the inmates and monitored the cellblock by video rather than confront the men face to face.
Officials also described seeing inmates breaking windows, and destroying furniture, computer equipment and security cameras.
Around 11 p.m., prison staff used tear gas to re-enter the cellblock and quickly regained control. Inmates were relocated to other areas of the prison, and the building was declared secure by 2 a.m. Friday, ABC reported.
An investigation is looking into the official cause of the disturbance, but inmates have pointed to a lack of personal protective equipment such as gloves and face masks as more and more inmates became ill.
Ariel Rothfield, a reporter on the scene for KSHB 41 Action News, spoke to one inmate who said the “mayhem” began after prisoners reportedly didn’t receive face masks after they were informed of the outbreak.
Since Saturday, the entire facility has been placed on restricted movement after 26 total cases of COVID-19 were diagnosed among inmates and staff.
As of Thursday morning, 14 staff had tested positive and were at home, and 12 inmates had tested positive and were placed in a medical isolation unit, NBC reported.
One inmate who spoke to NBC affiliate KSHB in Kansas City said inmates were frustrated about not being able to shower.
Some inmates who had access to cellphones have been texting family for days about their growing concerns as fellow prisoners became ill.
“Hey Sis I’m starting to get sick,” one message from March 31 stated. “Everyone her is running feaver and coughing. They won’t give us any mask or cleaning supplies. I’m probley going to die.”
The cellblock houses between 120 and 160 inmates and the prison has an overall capacity of 1,906 inmates, NBC reported, according to the corrections department.
A day earlier, as many as 200 inmates at a Washington state prison staged an uprising after officials announced six prisoners had tested positive for the coronavirus, according to news reports, citing the Washington Department of Corrections.
Officials at the Monroe Correctional Complex northeast of Seattle said there were no reports of violence or injuries to inmates and guards, although about half the inmates involved refused to follow officers’ commands, according to reports.
Prisoners reportedly set off fire extinguishers but only threatened to light fires and “take prison guards,” according to officials.
About the Author
