Alabama prison on lockdown after riot, two stabbed
March 12 (Reuters) - An Alabama prison was on lockdown on Saturday after a riot in which the warden and a guard were stabbed, the state Corrections Department said.
About 100 inmates at the William C. Holman Correctional Facility in Atmore, about 50 miles (80 km) north of Mobile, were involved in the disturbance, which started late on Friday, the department said in a statement.
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The trouble began with a fight between inmates in a dormitory. The guard was stabbed when he tried to detain one of the inmates, it said.
Warden Carter Davenport was also stabbed when he and other officers entered the dorm. Injuries to Davenport and the guard were not life-threatening.
Inmates then set a fire in a hallway outside the housing unit. Three Correctional Department emergency response teams were deployed to restore order.
Still images taken from video shot by an inmate:
The statement said some inmates were able to post photos online using cell phones. Guards were searching the prison for illegal phones and other contraband.
News website Al.com posted photos and a video apparently shot by an inmate, showing prisoners setting fires and roaming freely through the jail. Several inmates covered their faces with towels.
The website said prisoners were using social media to report that "gates are rolled up" and that they had overturned beds.
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"Please pray for my son in Holman Prison a riot Lord Jesus," wrote Zannice Houston on Facebook, referring to her son Jamario.
Criminal charges are pending against inmates involved in the disturbance. The prison will remain on lockdown until an investigation is finished, the statement said.
The 1,031-bed facility houses minimum- through maximum-security inmates, including some on death row. The 46-year-old prison is the only one in Alabama that carries out executions. (Reporting by Brendan O'Brien in Milwaukee and Ian Simpson in Washington; Editing by Mark Trevelyan)
