A disturbance involving approximately 200 inmates at Ironwood State Prison, situated about 22 miles from the Arizona border, prompted a statewide threat assessment across California’s prison facilities on Wednesday morning.
The incident unfolded around 10 a.m. during a contraband investigation when guards, while escorting an inmate across the yard, faced resistance that escalated into a riot.
The situation intensified when the inmate headbutted a staff member, leading about 200 other prisoners to rush the guards, assaulting them with fists and rocks, as reported by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR).
Despite orders from the guards, the prisoners refused to comply, prompting officers to employ chemical agents, issue a warning shot, and use non-lethal impact rounds to regain control of the situation.
In the aftermath, eight staff members and one prisoner required hospitalization, necessitating their transfer to another facility for a “higher level of care,” according to CDCR. All individuals were discharged the following day. The CDCR implemented a 24-hour “modified programming” protocol for all yards and dayrooms in California’s prison facilities in response to the riot.
Ironwood State Prison is conducting an ongoing investigation into the incident and has informed the Office of the Inspector General. Currently, 30 prisoners directly involved in the riot have been identified. Movement within Facility D at Ironwood will remain restricted until the conclusion of the investigation, per CDCR directives.