Authorities in North Carolina managed to regain control of a jail after inmates overpowered guards, held them hostage, and temporarily took over sections of the facility, officials reported on Monday.
The chaos unfolded at 5 a.m. at the Bertie-Martin Regional Detention Center in Windsor. During the early hours, inmates attacked correctional officers on duty and seized control of certain areas of the jail, according to Bertie County Sheriff Tyrone Ruffin.
“Ensuring the protection of our staff, inmates, and the community remains our highest priority,” Ruffin emphasized earlier. “We are actively collaborating with various law enforcement agencies to resolve this incident both swiftly and securely.”
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The standoff began when an inmate at the Bertie-Martin Regional Jail took two corrections officers hostage on Monday, prompting a tense confrontation with law enforcement, according to officials. (North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation)
Two corrections officers were taken hostage, while a third corrections officer escaped, Ruffin said. The first responding deputy arrived within two minutes of the initial alert but was unable to enter the jail.
Authorities quickly set up a perimeter around the detention center.
At the time of the takeover, 88 inmates and three guards were inside the facility.
An agent with the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation outside the Bertie-Martin Regional Jail. (North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation)
At around 9:30 a.m., 18 inmates and the two captive guards were released unharmed following negotiations. Minutes later, another large group of inmates was released and left the facility.
The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) then entered the jail and worked to take the remaining 10 inmates back into custody. At around 2 p.m., the SBI said the facility was cleared.
“All inmates and staff are safe and accounted for, and those who sustained injuries have received treatment. Inmates have been transferred to other facilities for housing, and the detention center will remain secured while personnel assess the extent of the damage,” the agency wrote on X. “The public is asked to avoid the area as crews continue working to clear the scene.”
Officials with the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation gathered as they tried to resolve a hostage situation at the Bertie-Martin Regional Jail. (North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation)
Investigators have not yet determined what triggered the incident, Ruffin added. He said there was no threat to the public.