COALINGA – Officials started an investigation of an incident that occurred today at around 9:40 a.m. when approximately 41 inmates were involved in a riot on the Facility B recreation yard at Pleasant Valley State Prison (PVSP). The incident began when three inmates started attacking one inmate and it escalated into a riot.
Responding staff gave participants of the riot multiple orders to stop fighting. When they did not comply, staff deployed chemical agents. Inmates continued rioting and so staff discharged two rounds from the state-issued Ruger Mini-14 rifle as warning shots to end the incident. Three inmates sustained puncture wounds during the riot and were transported to outside hospitals for treatment. They have been stabilized and are in fair condition.
No staff members were injured.
Two inmate-manufactured weapons were recovered and the cause of the riot is being investigated by PVSP’s Investigative Services Unit. The Office of the Inspector General and a CDCR Deadly Force Investigations Team (DFIT) was notified. A deadly force review board will conduct a full and complete review of the incident as well.
Movement on Facility B, a medium-custody general population facility, has been limited to facilitate the investigation into the cause of the riot.
PVSP opened November 1994 on approximately 320 acres in Fresno County. The institution houses approximately 3,300 minimum-, medium-, and maximum-security male inmates and employs approximately 1,300 people.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 18, 2019
Contact: Lt. Jose Benavides
(559) 935-4972
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