SAN DIEGO – On Thursday, April 18, at 11:03 a.m., eight inmates were involved in a battery on an inmate resulting in serious injuries at Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility (RJD) on the Facility C yard, a maximum-custody yard.
The incident began when seven inmates surrounded another inmate and struck him in the head with a cane. The inmate who was attacked attempted to flee, but was pursued by the attacking inmates. The fleeing inmate fought back with an inmate-manufactured weapon.
An alarm was sounded and responding staff used pepper spray to quell the incident. All inmates involved got down on the ground and followed the instructions of responding staff.
Prison medical staff responded to the incident and summoned ambulances to the institution. Three inmates were transported to an outside hospital. They are being treated for serious injuries, including gashes to the head and stab wounds to the chest and abdomen.
One additional inmate was treated by prison medical staff for less severe injuries.
No staff members were injured in the incident. Three weapons ― the cane and two inmate-manufactured weapons ― were recovered by responding staff.
The incident is being investigated by the Investigative Services Unit at the prison. The Office of the Inspector General was notified. Inmate movement on Facility C has been limited to facilitate the investigation.
RJD opened in 1987 and houses 3,783 minimum-, medium-, and maximum-security inmates. There are currently 1,962 people working at the institution. RJD’s primary mission is to provide long-term housing and professional rehabilitative services for inmates of all custody levels.
| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
April 18, 2019
| CONTACT: Lt. Jennifer Davies (619) 661-7802 |
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