Jail secured after inmates allegedly overpowered guards, took hostages

A group of incarcerated people allegedly overpowered guards inside a regional North Carolina jail for several hours the morning of Monday, June 29, taking the guards and other inmates hostage, officials said.

At approximately 5 a.m. ET, inmates inside the Bertie-Martin Regional Detention Center allegedly assaulted on-duty security staff and then gained control of parts of the building, according to the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation. The jail is in Windsor, North Carolina, located in the coastal region of the state about 115 miles east of Raleigh.

At the time of the incident, 88 incarcerated people and three guards were inside the jail, the NCSBI said. One guard escaped the jail, and two guards were taken hostage, along with several other inmates, officials alleged.

Authorities did not confirm how many inmates were accused of being involved in the violence or how many were taken hostage. The Bertie County Sheriff's Office did not immediately respond to USA TODAY's request for additional information.

Local, state and federal law enforcement responded to the jail in the ensuing hours. At about 9:30 a.m., "negotiations" led to the safe release of 18 incarcerated people and the two guard hostages, who "were able to exit the facility without further injury," the NCSBI confirmed.

Officials did not immediately say what the negotiations involved or what either side demanded.

Around 9:50 a.m., another large group of incarcerated people was released, and they exited the facility. Just before 2 p.m., the agency said the incident was fully resolved.

During a news conference outside the jail, Bertie County Sheriff Tyrone Ruffin said "only a few inmates" remained in the detention center as of the afternoon.

"The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation has made entry into the facility and is working to secure and take the remaining inmates into custody," Ruffin told reporters.

He did not address demands made during the alleged hostage negotiations. However, he said "there has been some misinformation and some concerns raised about the facility and the care of the inmates."

"As soon as I get the current situation and the current events under control I will address the issues of the facilities and the care of the inmates... as the investigation goes on," Ruffin said. "There is no immediate threat to the public."

'All inmates and staff are safe'

"All inmates and staff are safe and accounted for, and those who sustained injuries have received treatment," the NCSBI wrote in a statement on Facebook.

Authorities did not immediately confirm details about the injuries, including the number or severity.

"Inmates have been transferred to other facilities for housing, and the detention center will remain secured while personnel assess the extent of the damage," officials said.

Local residents were being asked to avoid the area as crews continued to investigate the incident.

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X @nataliealund.