KDOC uses chemical agent to control Hutchinson prison riot that injured three

Kansas prison officials are investigating a riot at the Hutchinson Correctional Facility that damaged property and hurt three people.

“A chemical agent was deployed to help gain control of the situation,” Kansas Department of Corrections officials said in a news release.

The incident began with a fight between two inmates in the dining hall at around 5:13 p.m. Wednesday, KDOC spokesperson Rebecca Witte said in the release. The chemical agent was deployed and other offenders were moved to the east yard.

There, a second fight began between two inmates. Then about 40 other inmates started throwing objects at prison staff and state property. All offenders were eventually returned to their cells and the emergency was cleared at around 6:47 p.m. The prison’s central unit has been placed on lockdown.

Windows and glass doors were broken during the disturbance. Two staffers had minor injuries and one inmate was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, Witte said.

Witte told The Eagle that she did not want to speculate on whether inmates were protesting the death of George Floyd. She said part of the KDOC investigation is interviewing people who were involved to determine the cause or causes.

The facility is the state’s second-oldest prison and has three units housing 1,884 men.

This story was originally published June 3, 2020 at 10:35 PM.