A violent disturbance at a medium-security prison in Georgia has left three inmates dead and around a dozen others injured, with one guard also potentially hurt.
Chaos Erupts at Washington State Prison
The incident, described by officials as a "possible riot", unfolded on Sunday afternoon at the Washington State Prison in Davisboro, Washington County. The facility is located approximately 50 miles southeast of Augusta.
Sheriff Joel Cochran informed local station WRDW that several fights broke out among inmates, resulting in 13 individuals being transported to hospital. The Washington County Coroner confirmed two initial fatalities, with a third inmate succumbing to injuries later on Sunday evening.
Response and Securing the Facility
A significant multi-agency response was required to bring the situation under control. Personnel from the sheriff's office, the Georgia State Patrol, and police departments from Davisboro and Milledgeville, along with the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office, converged on the prison.
By 6 pm, the prison was declared secure. The coroner's office remained on site as investigations continued.
Sheriff Cochran noted that while incidents are not uncommon in correctional settings, "it has been quite some time since we’ve had to come to an incident this large."
Eyewitness Accounts and Social Media Footage
The Human and Civil Rights Coalition of Georgia shared footage appearing to show inmates running through an outdoor corridor as a guard walked towards them. The video was captioned, "Inside of the riot at Washington State Prison. Complete chaos and violence."
In a Facebook post, the coalition stated the riot began in the afternoon, claiming offenders overpowered a guard and burst into a visitation area. They reported seeing several injured inmates with blood on them and described a chaotic scene where an officer tried unsuccessfully to hold a door closed.
The group also posted a video showing what appeared to be three police helicopters near the prison, indicating the scale of the emergency response.
While the exact cause of the violence is under investigation, the event underscores ongoing challenges within the correctional system. Authorities have not yet released the names of the deceased or detailed the conditions of the injured.
