Several Wounded at Maximum-Security Prison Riot in California
More than a dozen inmates were wounded when a massive riot broke out at a maximum-security prison in California, with guards shooting one prisoner as they put down the melee, officials said.
The fighting, which involved around 60 inmates, some wielding crude blades, erupted Wednesday at the California State Prison-Sacramento, prompting guards to use "less-than-lethal force."
Officers fired six rounds from a Mini-14 rifle, one of which wounded a prisoner, who was taken to hospital, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said in a statement.
"Another 12 inmates were taken to area hospitals for treatment of injuries, including stab and slash wounds and head trauma," it said, adding that four of the 12 had since been returned to the prison. No guards were wounded in the incident.
The prisons authority said it was investigating the cause of the violence.
The maximum-security prison houses 2,658 inmates, most of whom are either serving long sentences or have "proved to be management problems at other institutions," it said.
Source: Agence France Presse
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