Security cameras at the Cook County Jail near Chicago, Illinois captured a massive brawl Tuesday night, involving dozens of inmates and guards as well as a variety of weapons.
According to the Cook County Sheriff’s Office, the brawl began in the maximum security wing of the facility known as Division 9, where the most violent inmates are housed.
Security camera footage shows a group of inmates in what appears to be a heated verbal exchange in Division 9’s common area.
One of the men removes his shirt, and shortly thereafter several of the men begin throwing punches. In seconds, the brawl spreads across the room.
The violence escalates as deputies enter the room to put a stop to the violence, with several inmates who were previously spectators attacking the officers as well as other inmates.
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Prison officials say the security camera captured only part of what was a massive outbreak of violence, as corrections officers responded to fights in two other sections, or tiers, at the same time.
“The tiers are separated, but with each of the tiers holding 48 [inmates], we were looking at approximately 140 detainees out at once,” Dr. Nneka Jones-Tapia with the Cook County Department of Corrections told ABC-7 News in Chicago.
According to the Cook County Sheriff’s Office, eight inmates were transported to hospital with various injuries, including puncture wounds caused by unknown weapons.
In addition, three prison guards were sent to hospital – two due to injuries sustained when they were struck with cafeteria food trays, and a third who tore his meniscus while attempting to subdue an inmate.
Police say they are investigating the cause of the incident as well as the source of the weapons the inmates used during the brawl.
Meanwhile, Teamsters Local 700, the union representing the correctional officers at the facility, has issued a statement attacking the unsafe working conditions at the Cook County Jail.
“As we have expressed over and over again, the jail is being held hostage by a sense of appeasement when dealing with dangerous inmates,” Teamsters Local 700 Business Agent Dennis Andrews said in the statement.
“We have requested safety equipment for the officers, which other jails across the country already have. We have requested different procedures that would enhance security for all staff at the jail.”