Arizona prison battle: Unit put on lockdown after 200 inmates fight
NBC News staff and wire reports
7:37 AM EST September 21, 2012
About 200 inmates at an Arizona prison fought each other for up to a half hour Thursday, injuring several inmates and a guard, correction officials said.
A joint report by NBC station KPNX and The Arizona Republic said that the fight meant a unit at Arizona State Prison Complex-Tucson would be on lockdown for several days while authorities investigate, according to officials.
The fight broke out at 5:30 p.m. local time (8:30 p.m. ET) in the Santa Rita Unit yard, Bill Lamoreaux, an Arizona Corrections spokesman said, according to the report. Tactical Support Unit teams and prison personnel regained control of the yard within a half hour.
Reuters reported that officers secured the yard without the use of force.
The prison staff member who was hurt suffered an injury to the ribcage, Lamoreaux added.
A joint report by NBC station KPNX and The Arizona Republic said that the fight meant a unit at Arizona State Prison Complex-Tucson would be on lockdown for several days while authorities investigate, according to officials.
The fight broke out at 5:30 p.m. local time (8:30 p.m. ET) in the Santa Rita Unit yard, Bill Lamoreaux, an Arizona Corrections spokesman said, according to the report. Tactical Support Unit teams and prison personnel regained control of the yard within a half hour.
Reuters reported that officers secured the yard without the use of force.
The prison staff member who was hurt suffered an injury to the ribcage, Lamoreaux added.