SAN DIEGO (KGTV) - A riot involving nearly 50 inmates erupted at a yard at Donovan Correctional Facility Friday morning, prompting a medical response and a lockdown of the prison.
California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation officials confirmed the incident at the Otay Mesa facility happened just after 9 a.m. in a medium-custody yard.
CDCR officials said: “The riot occurred when multiple fights and attacks broke out in several areas simultaneously. Correctional officers immediately responded to the various areas and gave multiple orders to stop fighting. When inmates did not comply, officers used pepper spray to quell the incidents. Only non-lethal force was used. Multiple inmate-manufactured weapons were recovered at the scene.”
The incident led to the dispatching of at least five ambulances, according to Cal Fire San Diego officials.
According to CDCR officials, 10 inmates were injured and taken to area hospitals. One of the injured inmates suffered serious head injuries and had to be airlifted to an area hospital, officials said. It's not clear how the inmate suffered the injury, officials said.
Officials confirmed no corrections officers were hurt, but some prison staff members were exposed to pepper spray and treated at the prison.
The riot is being investigated by the Investigated Services Unit at Donovan Prison. The cause or motive behind the riot was unknown Friday.
Due to the incident, officials said inmate movement in the medium-custody yard of Facility A was limited.
