California issues statewide prison threat warning after 200 inmates rush guards at Riverside County facility

A 200-person inmate riot at a Riverside County facility triggered a threat assessment at every prison in California on Wednesday morning. 

The uproar started at Ironwood State Prison, which is about 22 miles away from the Arizona border, at about 10 a.m. as guards escorted an inmate across the yard during a contraband investigation. 

It escalated into a riot when the prisoner headbutted one of the staff members as an estimated 200 other prisoners rushed the guards, sticking them with fists and rocks, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. 

The prisoners refused to comply with the guards’ orders. To bring the riot to an end, officers deployed chemical agents and fired off a warning shot as well as non-lethal impact rounds. 

Eight staff members and one prisoner required hospitalization and were moved to another facility for a “higher level of care,” CDCR stated. They were all discharged the following day. 

CDCR staff said the riot caused a 24-hour “modified programming” protocol for all yards and dayrooms in facilities throughout California. 

Ironwood is still investigating the incident and has notified the Office of the Inspector General. So far, they have identified 30 prisoners directly involved with the riot. 

Movement inside Ironwood’s Facility D will be restricted until the investigation ends, according to the CDCR.

Matthew Rodriguez

Matthew Rodriguez is a digital producer at kcalnews.com. He’s previously reported for local outlets like the Argonaut and Pasadena Weekly. Matt typically covers breaking news and crime.