MONTREAL – A member of the staff at a penitentiary in Cowansville has been taken hostage by an inmate.
“The situation started at about 10:45 (Tuesday) morning, where an inmate from the institution took hostage a staff member. He basically barricaded himself in a room with the hostage,” said Serge Abergel, a spokesperson for Correctional Service Canada.
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The Cowansville Institution, a medium-security penitentiary, is located in the Eastern Townships, about 100 kilometres southeast of Montreal.
Abergel said no one has been injured and that a negotiator with CSC has been communicating with the inmate.
“Correctional Service (Canada) is handling the situation within the institution. They have their own specialized negotiating team which they use when these events happen,” he said adding there has been a dialogue between the negotiator and the inmate.
“We’re trying to resolve the situation as quickly as possible.”
Abergel was not able to provide details about the employee who has been taken hostage.
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