7 inmates dead in South Carolina prison fight

COLUMBIA, S. C. — Inmates armed with homemade knives fought each other for about seven hours over territory and money, leaving seven of them dead in the worst U. S. prison riot in a quartercentury, officials said Monday. An inmate who witnessed the violence told The Associated Press that bodies were “literally stacked on top of each other.”

At least 17 prisoners were seriously injured at Lee Correctional Institution, South Carolina prisons chief Bryan Stirling said. The first fight started in a dorm about 7: 15 p. m. Sunday and appeared to be contained before suddenly starting in two other dorms. Cellphones helped stir up the trouble, and state officials urged the federal government to change a law and allow them to block the signals from prisoners’ phones.

“These folks are fighting over real money and real territory while they’re incarcerated,” Stirling said at a news conference.

No prison guards were hurt. Stirling said they followed protocol by backing out and asking for support. It took several hours to restore order, but once a special SWAT team entered, the inmates gave up peacefully, he said.

The prisoner who saw the riot exchanged messages on the condition of anonymity because he fears retribution from other inmates.

He said he saw several attackers taunt a rival gang member who was badly injured.

“I just saw three dead on the sidewalk outside of my unit. One guy is still alive and breathing, but just barely,” the inmate said.