BIG STONE GAP, Va. (WJHL) — An investigation is underway after confirmed gang members at Wallens Ridge State Prison allegedly premeditatedly stabbed three corrections officers.

According to a news release from the Virginia Department of Corrections (VADOC), an investigation into the stabbings is underway.

At roughly 9:45 a.m. on Friday, six inmates allegedly stabbed corrections officers at the Big Stone Gap prison.

VADOC stated that five of the six inmates involved are confirmed members of the MS-13 gang. The release stated that the inmates are from El Salvador and were in the U.S. illegally.

“Each have been convicted of violent crimes including aggravated murder, first and second degree murder, and rape,” VADOC stated in the release.

The sixth inmate involved is reportedly a member of the Sureño 13 from the U.S. and is serving a sentence for second-degree murder.

In total, five corrections officers were transported for medical treatment. As of 5 p.m. Friday, three had been discharged. Two of those three received minor injuries while responding to the alleged attack.

The other two officers who were transported to the hospital have been admitted and are in stable condition, according to VADOC.

“Five of the individuals responsible for this senseless attack should never have been in this country in the first place,” VADOC Director Chad Dotson stated in the release. “Every single day, our officers put their lives on the line to ensure public safety for the more than 8.8 million people across the Commonwealth. This attack is an example of the dangers they face when they show up to work every day. Our officers are heroes, and I commend the team at Wallens Ridge for their swift response.”