Inmates riot at St. Louis Justice Center, busting windows, throwing objects
ST. LOUIS (NewsNation Now) — Inmates broke windows, set a fire and threw debris to the ground late Sunday at a St. Louis jail that has been plagued by uprisings in recent months.
The riot broke out around 8:45 p.m. on the 3rd floor of the St. Louis Justice Center, NewsNation affiliate KTVI reported.
Police say about 60 inmates were involved. The inmates were heard screaming out of the jail’s windows about air, water and food.
Some were heard yelling demands for court dates. Proceedings have been delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The St. Louis Police Department responded to bring the jail under control.
At about 10:15 p.m., officers were able to clear inmates from the windows and push back the crowd. Another fire started shortly after on the 2nd floor but was put out by fire crews.
It was unclear whether anyone was injured.
There were no confirmed weapons and no officers in danger.
An uprising at the jail on Feb. 6 involved over 100 inmates and sent one corrections officer to the hospital. Officials said detainees were upset about conditions inside the jail and had concerns about COVID-19.
A task force was appointed to look into issues at the jail. Its chairman, the Rev. Darryl Gray, issued a report last month urging the city to create an independent oversight board to help oversee the lockup.
The Associated Press and NewsNation affiliate KTVI contributed to this report.