After hours-long rioting at Lee Correctional Institution in South Carolina, infighting between inmates left seven dead and 17 injured.
What started as a chaotic brawl led to a full-fledged riot spreading to three housing units, USA Today reported. The riot, which began at 7:15 p.m. Sunday, lasted for approximately seven and a half hours breaking into early Monday morning.
Many of the injured and killed inmates were slashed, stabbed or beaten to death, according to the Lee County Coroner Larry Logan, who also mentioned the use of shanks in the riot. Lee County Fire and Rescue are calling this riot a “mass casualty.”
Lee County Fire/Rescue assisted With a Mass Causality Incident at Lee Correctional. Mutual Aid was received from FlorenceCounty EMS, Kershaw County EMS, Darlington County EMS, Lexington County EMS and Hartsville Rescue. Assistance was also received from Med One a private service. pic.twitter.com/P22A1ruzQY
— Lee County Fire (@LeeCountyFire) April 16, 2018
While no correctional officers were injured, this is not the first-time violence has struck the Bishopville, South Carolina prison. Just weeks earlier, inmates attacked a guard, holding him hostage, and a month prior another stabbing took place. This institution is one of the state’s highest-secured prisons, a level three facility, holding some of the most dangerous prisoners of South Carolina.
Lee Correctional Institution was secured at 2:55 AM following an incident which started at 7:15 PM. The incident involved multiple inmate on inmate altercations in three housing units.
— SC Dept. Corrections (@SCDCNews) April 16, 2018
South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster will provide a news conference on the incident with South Carolina Law Enforcement Division and South Carolina Department Corrections Monday afternoon in Columbia, South Carolina.