RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA – A 200-person inmate revolt at Ironwood State Prison in Riverside County, California, triggered a statewide threat assessment at all corrections facilities in the state on Wednesday.
The riot occurred roughly about 10 a.m. during the escort of a prisoner for a contraband investigation, as per the report from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR). The situation escalated into a full-scale riot when the escorted prisoner headbutted a staff member, prompting approximately 200 other inmates to rush and attack the guards with their fists and rocks.
According to CDCR, the rioting inmates defied orders from the corrections officers. To quell the violence, the officers used chemical agents and fired non-lethal impact rounds and a warning shot. The riot resulted in eight staff members and one inmate requiring hospitalization, who were then transferred to another location for higher-level care. However, all of them were discharged by the next day.
In the aftermath of the incident, the CDCR activated a 24-hour “modified programming” protocol across all yards and dayrooms in prisons throughout the state. A thorough investigation of the riot is under way by Ironwood officials, who have notified the Office of the Inspector General. To date, 30 inmates directly involved in the incident have been identified.
CDCR indicates that movement within Facility D, where the riot broke out, will remain limited until the investigation is concluded.