Inmates set fires in 'riot' disturbance at Otero County jail in New Mexico

Eight inmates have been transferred to another jail after attempting to incite a riot in the maximum-security unit of the Otero County Detention Center in southern New Mexico, authorities said.

The disturbance lasted about seven hours Tuesday night, May 21, inside the county jail in Alamogordo before being quelled by law enforcement officers, the Otero County correctional services director said in a statement.

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There were no injuries reported to staff, inmates or law enforcement officers, the director said. Alamogordo is located about 60 miles north of El Paso, Texas.

Riot incident at Otero County Detention Center in New Mexico

The "hostilities" began about 6 p.m. on Tuesday after earlier in the day a detainee had been issued a disciplinary infraction for making threats against a staff member, the correctional services director said.

Eight inmates barricaded themselves on the second level of the housing unit, armed themselves with unspecified makeshift weapons and at one point set fire to brooms, triggering fire alarms, authorities said.

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Detention center staff "attempted to verbally de-escalate the situation" for several hours. About 8 p.m., other law enforcement agencies were called to assist, the director stated.

About 1 a.m. Wednesday, May 22, law enforcement officers ended the disturbance and the inmates were taken into custody. The prisoners were transferred to another facility and will be charged in connection with the riot incident, the correctional services director stated. The names of the inmates were not disclosed.

This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: New Mexico jail inmates set fires in 'riot' disturbance in Otero County