Tennessee prison riot: 4 injured including guard, lockdown in effect
The melee took place at the Trousdale Turner Correctional Center, a medium-security prison for men. The facility is in the small rural town of Hartsville, about 50 miles northeast of Nashville.
Just after 10 p.m. on June 8, Trousdale County Sheriff Ray Russell reported officers from multiple law enforcement agencies including state police responded to the facility for a report of a riot.
The prison is run by CoreCivic, the largest private prison operator in the United States based in Nashville.
Ryan Gustin, a CoreCivic spokesperson, told USA TODAY "a large group of inmates from several housing units who exited their cells and gained access to an inner yard, becoming disruptive and confrontational."
It was not immediately known what sparked the riot, but Gustin told USA TODAY the group created safety hazards by attempting to "destroy facility property, compromising security cameras, setting a few small fires and refusing to comply with multiple verbal directives provided by facility staff."
Authorities notified the Tennessee Department of Corrections and local law enforcement who responded to the scene to secure the facility's outside perimeter.
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During the incident, one correctional officer was assaulted and transported to a hospital to be treated for minor injuries and released, Gustin said.
While attempting to return the inmates in the yard back to their cells, prison staff employees "dispersed chemical agents to gain compliance."
Medical staff examined all those involved in the riot and, as of the afternoon of June 9, three inmates were being treated for minor injuries.
Officials did not say what type of injuries the officer or inmates suffered.
About 1 a.m., Gustin said, the inmates "were secured."
Despite multiple media reports circulating, a preliminary investigation revealed no hostages were taken, Gustin said.
"Our early investigation is not able to confirm any hostages were taken," Gustin told USA TODAY on June 9. "None."
"At no time was the perimeter of the facility accessed or breached by inmates, as they remained in the inner yard adjacent to their housing units." Gustin said, adding the facility was on lockdown until further notice while the incident remains under investigation.
It was not immediately known whether any charges are pending in the case.
USA TODAY has reached out to the sheriff for more information.
Since opening in 2016, the prison has experienced high rate of deaths, overdoses, sexual assaults and scathing state audits.
Some audits found prevalent understaffing at the facility, leading to increased violence and contraband, the Tennessean, part of the USA TODAY Network reported. In 2023, the prison saw a 188% turnover rate, the highest in the state.
In one recent lawsuit, a prisoner alleged he was raped by gang members in the prison who were extorting his loved ones for money.
Contributing: Kelly Puente, Andy Humbles; The Tennessean
Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trousdale County prison riot: 4 hurt, lockdown in effect
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