Mississippi Prison Rebellion Leaves Guard Dead, 6 Injured

Scene outside a Mississippi prison during a rebellion by inmates. The facility detains immigrant workers., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.

Miss. prison riot leaves guard dead, 6 hurt
BRANDON, Miss.

(AP) – A prison guard was killed Sunday during a riot that also injured five other correctional officers and hurt at least one inmate at a privately run facility in Mississippi that holds illegal immigrants, authorities said.

Sponsored LinksThe riot began about 2:40 p.m. CDT and involved dozens of inmates before it was brought under control late Sunday night. Adams County Coroner James Lee confirmed that a guard died, but said he could not provide any other details until the correctional officer's family was notified.

Emilee Beach, a spokeswoman at the Adams County Correctional Center in southwest Mississippi, said the uprising involved "multiple" inmates but she wasn't sure exactly how many because the investigation was still ongoing.

She said that after the disturbance was brought under control, inmates were being searched and sent back to their cells.

Beach said the prison, owned and operated by Corrections Corp. of America, holds illegal immigrants, most for charges of re-entering the United States after being deported. Beach said the disturbance was brought under control late Sunday.

The five injured guards were taken to a hospital and treated for injuries that weren't considered life-threatening.

The 2,567-bed prison houses male illegal immigrants for the Federal Bureau of Prisons. State and local law-enforcement officers were called in case they were needed for backup.

CCA spokesman Steve Owen confirmed in an email "there has been one employee death" but he said he could not provide more details immediately. CCA said in a news release earlier Sunday that "the inner compound and portions of housing units are the focus of remaining efforts to quell the disturbance."

Adams County Sheriff's Department spokeswoman Emily Ham said no inmates had escaped the facility.

Adams County Sheriff Chuck Mayfield told the Natchez Democrat that 15 employees were freed at one time during the uprising by opening a fence and protecting the route with guns.