Prison Riot In California

FOX NEWS Channel | December 20, 2001 | Smith

[Doomonyou]

Any Taliban involved?

[Tijeras_Slim]

Warming up for Johnny Jihad's arrival?

[Bella_Bru]

No, it's not at a women's prison.

[MeekOneGOP]

Prison is in lockdown right now.

[MeekOneGOP]

I came in at the tail of the story and it's gone to commercial break right now. . .

[RooRoobird14]

Which prison? San Quentin? Alcatraz? LOL!

[Scythian]

LANCASTER, Calif. (AP) - About 300 inmates rioted at a crowded state prison Thursday, prompting a crackdown by guards using tear gas and wooden bullets, authorities said. Seven inmates were seriously injured.

Fighting broke out in a prison yard about 10:45 a.m., said Margot Bach, a state corrections spokeswoman.

It was unclear how long it took to quell the riot but "the entire institution is on full lockdown," Bach said. The prison is in the Mojave Desert about 40 miles north of Los Angeles.

Guards fired several warning shots before using pepper spray, tear gas and wooden bullets on the prisoners, Bach said. She said it was unclear whether any prisoners were hit. No guards or staff were hurt.

Two inmates were stabbed and had collapsed lungs, while two others had serious slash wounds, she said. They were to be taken by helicopter to local hospitals.

Three other inmates were taken by ambulance to hospitals with unspecified injuries.

The prison was designed to hold 2,200 prisoners but currently has more than 4,000 inmates in its minimum- and maximum-security wings. It was not immediately clear whether crowding may have contributed to the rioting and Bach said it may take several days to determine the exact cause.

Last year, a racial brawl involving more than 120 inmates left 10 people injured. In 1999, an inmate was shot by guards during another brawl between whites and Hispanics.

Bach said race didn't appear to be behind Thursday's riot.

"It was multiracial. There wasn't any group attacking any other groups specifically. They all got into it," she said.

[Joe Hadenuf]

Its probably just illegal aliens demanding better living conditions, weekend passes, and more spanish food.

[KQQL]

I bet Jihad Johnny has friends there

[notfondajane]

Word is these are guys doing serious time. Seems they just learned that when they finally get out they'll have to pay Gov. Davis's long term power prices. They're pissed.

[kaboom]

Wooden bullets? an environmentalist gun grabber nightmare!

[onyx]

Too bad it's winter. During the summer, they'd just have to cut-off their water and air-conditioning to quell the riot.

[RedBloodedAmerican]

Are Prison Guards allowed to own guns in California, or just the criminals?

[marshmallow]

Yes, we're starting to put 9/11 behind us.

Things are getting back to "normal".

[RedBloodedAmerican]

Let's hope they don't miss their targets and hit an owl. Oh the irony.

[DJ88]

The moose bit one of the inmates sister who had eaten all the cheese....that's why they had the riot.

[RedBloodedAmerican]

Thanks for waking me up *nudge*nudge*wink*wink*