Law enforcement in North Carolina have retaken control of the Bertie Martin Regional Jail in Windsor after inmates launched a violent uprising, overpowered officers, and seized parts of the facility, according to state investigators.
As reported by The Post Millennial, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) stated that inmates assaulted staff, took control of portions of the detention center, and forced a full-scale law enforcement response. The SBI further confirmed that agents from both the SBI and the FBI have both cleared the facility and that staff as well as inmates are safe and accounted for, and those with injuries have been treated, and that inmates have been transferred to other facilities while the public is urged to avoid the area.
According to the SBI, the crisis began at approximately 5 a.m. when inmates used force to hold two correctional officers hostage inside the jail. Bertie County Sheriff Tyrone Ruffin, who arrived within two minutes of the initial call, was unable to enter the facility until additional officers responded and negotiations led to the safe release of the hostages at around 9:30 a.m.
Officials reported that roughly 88 inmates and three guards were inside the detention center when the takeover started, underscoring the scale of the security breach. One guard managed to escape early in the incident, while the remaining two were held by inmates until law enforcement negotiators secured their release.
Once the hostages were freed, law enforcement teams entered the jail and moved to reestablish order and secure the remaining inmates. Authorities said some inmates were negotiated with, while others were physically taken into custody and relocated to secure locations, and treatment was provided to inmates who requested medical attention.
More than 20 law enforcement agencies responded, including the FBI, SBI, North Carolina Department of Adult Correction, North Carolina State Highway Patrol, and multiple county sheriffs offices from across the region. Their rapid and coordinated response highlights the importance of robust law-and-order infrastructure, particularly as soft-on-crime policies elsewhere in the country have emboldened criminal behavior.
Officials confirmed that no fatalities have been reported and that there is no immediate threat to the public following the restoration of control. Investigators have not yet determined what triggered the inmate takeover, and the detention center will remain secured while authorities assess the damage and continue their investigation, per WRAL.
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