Inmate Dies In Prison Riot; 15 More Injured

THREE RIVERS, Texas (AP) – An inmate was killed and 15 others hospitalized after a riot at a federal prison in South Texas early Friday.

Federal Bureau of Prisons spokeswoman Deborah Denham said that how the inmate died is still being investigated, but she does not believe that guards at the Three Rivers prison used any potentially lethal force to break up the fight.

No staff members were injured. Seven inmates received minor injuries, which were treated at the prison.

A pair of fights broke out at the prison early Friday, around 7 a.m. when breakfast was wrapping up and the day shift of guards was coming onto duty. But what sparked the brawl and how many inmates were involved is still under investigation, Denham said.

Denham said the incident was brought under control quickly, and the community was never in danger.

An autopsy will be performed on the inmate who died, Denham said. His identity wasn’t immediately released because authorities were notifying his family.

The medium-security facility in Three Rivers, located in a rural area 70 miles southeast of San Antonio, has about 1,160 inmates.

The riot was the second at a federal prison in Texas this month.

Houston police and firefighters were called to the federal prison in downtown Houston two weeks ago after receiving reports that up to 80 inmates were fighting. A stun grenade was used to stop that brawl.