Corcoran Prison under Partial Lockdown | ABC30 Fresno

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By ABC30

Monday, June 22, 2009

Fresno, CA The lockdown affects roughly 1,000 inmates in security housing unit where riot occured. The incident happened in the substance abuse treatment facility, previously known as 'Corcoran two.'

Sunday at approximately 12:08 p.m., a riot involving two Hispanic prison gang factions, Northern and Southern Hispanics occurred in the Facility-C Maximum Security General Population yard at the California Substance Abuse Treatment Facility and state prison resulting in injuries to 11 inmates who were transported offsite to area hospitals for medical attention.

The incident involved approximately 75 inmates, some of which utilized inmate manufactured stabbing and slashing type weapons. One of the 11 inmates sustained serious enough injuries, requiring helicopter transportation to a nearby hospital. That inmate is listed in stable condition.

Responding correctional staff discharged pepper spray, rubber baton rounds, and two warning shots from a mini-14 rifle to stop the fighting. Following the incident, officers recovered 28 inmate manufactured stabbing and slashing type weapons from the scene. They say they won't reopen the section of the prison where the riot happened until their investigation is done.

None of the correctional officers received any injuries as a result of this incident.

As more information becomes available, it will be shared with the media and outlying community. It is anticipated that most of the inmates sent out for medical care will be immediately returning to the institution following medical treatment. No inmate faces a life-threatening injury.

"This incident is under investigation by our investigative services unit in order to determine what sparked this event," said CSATF Warden Ken Clark. "Initial intelligence indicates that it may have been gang motivated; however, we want to make every effort to find out who is responsible for this riot so they can be held accountable for their actions."

The warden said the fighting and outbreak appeared to be premeditated, based on the circumstance that the riot occurred in five different locations at the same time.

In addition to the prison's investigation, the office of the inspector general's bureau of independent review will be reviewing the incident

The California substance abuse treatment facility and state prison in Corcoran, a maximum security prison is located 5 miles south of the City of Corcoran. The prison opened in 1997, houses approximately 7,000 maximum-custody inmates.