A group of violent inmates, many of whom are reportedly in the U.S. illegally, created chaos in a Virginia prison and injured multiple correctional officers.
At approximately 9:45 AM on Friday, six inmates at Warrens Ridge State Prison, a supermax facility in Big Stone Gap, launched an attack on three prison guards. According to the Virginia Department of Corrections, this was a coordinated effort.
Five correctional officers sustained injuries during the incident, including three with stab wounds, while the others suffered minor injuries trying to intervene. The injured officers received treatment at outside medical facilities, and three were released the same day. Meanwhile, the condition of the remaining two, who were hospitalized, was reported to be stable, though their current status remains unclear as of Monday.
All suspects have prior convictions for violent crimes, including murder and rape. Five of the six individuals are confirmed members of the MS-13 gang and are illegally in the United States after arriving from El Salvador. The sixth suspect, though a U.S. citizen, is also a confirmed gangster and murderer affiliated with a different gang.
Chad Dotson, director of the Virginia Department of Corrections, commented, “Five individuals responsible for this pointless attack should not have been in this country in the first place.”
He added, “Our officers put their lives on the line every day to protect over 8.8 million people. This incident illustrates the risks they face daily, and I commend the Warrens Ridge team for their swift response.”
Authorities have not released additional information due to the ongoing investigation, and inquiries to the Department of Homeland Security and the Virginia Attorney General’s Office have gone unanswered.
