San Luis prison riot probe continues
Officials release details about last week’s disturbance
While the investigation into Thursday night’s riot at the Arizona State Prison Complex-Yuma’s Cheyenne unit is ongoing from an administrative and criminal standpoint, prison officials released information Monday about what triggered the disturbance.
The incident, they say, began with an inmate being escorted across the recreation yard who appeared to be under the influence. This inmate attempted to assault the escorting officers and then ran away from them, prison officials say.
The officers pursued him on the yard, which caused other inmates to spontaneously start attacking the officers. Most of the inmates of this 1,124 bed, mediumcustody, dormitory environment were outside in the yard at the time, which was approximately 6:18 p.m.
According to prison officials, both sides of the unit began attacking prison employees, breaking property — windows, toilets, sinks, etc. — and gained access to the dormitory officer stations as well.
Inmates also pulled mattresses and other property outside of the dormitories
and started fires on the yard.
Two quick response weapons teams were deployed to prevent inmates from trying to gain access to the ‘no man’s zone’ fenced area. Yuma’s tactical support unit (TSU) team was activated to regain order from the inmates who had broken into the medical/health unit building.
Inmates were attacking prison personnel using tables as shields when shotguns were deployed.
Arizona Department of Corrections (ADC) personnel brought the disturbance under control by approximately 9:00 p.m., and all inmates were secured in the outside recreation enclosures and placed in flex cuffs.
The Yuma County Sheriff’s Office, Yuma and San Luis Police Departments, the FBI, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and others provided resources to maintain the perimeter. There were no escapes.
ADC transferred 44 inmates on Sunday from Cheyenne to the maximumcustody Eyman complex in Florence. Additional inmates have been placed in detention units, pending criminal investigations and/or movement.
Inmates that are considered elderly and in poorer health have been placed in alternate housing.
All other inmates involved in the disturbance have remained on the recreation yards since Thursday. They are receiving necessary provisions and care, including meals, water, prescribed medications, blankets, coats, and sunscreen and have access to medical care and portajohns. Over the weekend, ASPCYuma reopened and resumed normal operations at its other four units (La Paz, Cibola, Cocopah and Dakota), which had been locked down following the disturbance at Cheyenne.
Tactical Support Units (TSU) teams from Lewis, Tucson and Perryville have been onsite to provide rotation relief for the Yuma team.
On Friday, ADC Director Charles Ryan traveled to Yuma to personally assess and communicate with staff onsite. The initial damage estimate is approximately $475,000 and repairs remain in process, with many priority repairs having been completed already.
As reported on Friday, 11 employees sustained minor injuries and were treated. Up two from Friday’s update, a total of 28 inmates were treated at the hospital. 25 have returned to the complex.
Preliminary autopsy results of inmate Adam J. Coppa indicate that he died as a result of a gunshot wound. His death remains under investigation.
Staffing levels were not a factor leading to Thursday’s disturbance, with 33 of the unit’s 35 designated posts staffed by correctional officers on duty at the time, along with two shift supervisors.
Moreover, the Yuma complex has the lowest staff vacancy rate of all staterun prisons. Currently, the complex has zero correctional officer vacancies.
The department’s administrative and criminal investigations are ongoing.
James Gilbert can be reached at jgilbert@yumasun.com or 5396854. Find him on Facebook at www. Facebook.com/YSJamesGilbert or on Twitter @YSJamesGilbert.