By Sean Garmire
The EurekaTimes-Standard
CRESCENT CITY, Calif. — Pelican Bay State Prison riot that broke out in an exercise yard Friday morning was stopped by correctional officers after a number of inmates had been stabbed, and one was shot.
When the pepper spray cleared, eight prisoners were in need of medical attention -- one of whom was shot through the shoulder by an officer’s Mini-14 .223 caliber rifle. They were taken to an outside hospital and treated. None of the injuries were lethal, prison officials reported.
Authorities estimate about 40 prisoners were involved in the riot, and though it lasted no longer than five minutes, Pelican Bay Lt. Ken Thomas described it as “total chaos.”
The “staff didn’t have any idea this was going to happen,” he said. “We had inmates who were being stabbed in the facility.”
When the skirmish ended, officers found four prisoner-made weapons at the scene.
Personnel at the prison were still sorting out what started the riot and who was involved Friday afternoon, but Thomas said all the inmates taken into custody so far have been white or black.
“We don’t have any indication this was gang related,” Thomas said. “It appears on the surface to be racially motivated.”
None of the prison staff were injured Friday.
Thomas said it started small as a scuffle at about 10:25 a.m., then spread across the yard. Correctional officers gave verbal orders to stop, then deployed high-grade pepper spray with canisters and grenades.
Thomas said when inmates did not respond to the orders, officers at elevated positions began firing with rubber bullets. Two lethal weapons were discharged in the riot; one was fired as a warning, the other tore through a prisoner’s shoulder.
After bullets were fired, Thomas said “we finally got the inmates to comply and get down on the ground.”
All the prisoners who are suspected of involvement have been placed in segregated housing. The suspects’ names have so far been withheld, and their weekend visiting rights have been suspended.
The riot was isolated to Facility B, a maximum-security general population yard where prisoners exercise. It is one of two similar yards at the prison facility.
Pelican Bay is located in Crescent City, 13 miles from the Oregon border. Inside its walls, 3,400 minimum and maximum custody inmates are held.
Thomas reported prison authorities will continue their investigation of the incident to find what precipitated the riot, and determine who is responsible.
In addition to the prison investigation, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s Deadly Force Investigation Team, the Office of the Inspector General’s Bureau of Independent Review and the Del Norte County District Attorney’s Office will look into the incident.
“We can’t emphasize enough, at no time was the public at danger,” Thomas said. “Our staff reacted and responded as they’re trained to react and respond.”
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