EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) – Eight detainees were taken into custody, transferred to another facility and charged after attempting to incite a riot at the Otero County Detention Center (OCDC), the County of Otero announced in a press release.
At approximately 6 p.m. Tuesday, May 21 eight detainees in a “maximum-security” housing unit attempted to incite a riot at OCDC after one of the detainees received a disciplinary infraction for making threats to harm a staff member earlier that day, according to the County of Otero.
The eight detainees barricaded themselves on the second level of the housing unit, according to the County of Otero.
The County of Otero said that at approximately 8 p.m., outside law enforcement agencies were called due to OCDC staff’s failure to verbally “de-escalate” the situation for several hours, and also because of the awareness that detainees possessed several makeshift weapons with intend to harm.
Additionally, OCDC fire alarms were triggered from the detainees setting items on fire like brooms.
The County of Otero said that law enforcement put an end to the disturbance around 1 a.m. with no injuries to staff, detainees or law enforcement officers.
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