Inmate disturbance cancels July 4 visitations at El Dorado CF

(KWCH)
Published: Jul. 1, 2018 at 1:26 PM CDT
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The Latest on disturbance at Kansas prison (all times local):

3:40 p.m.

The El Dorado Correctional Facility says there will be no visitation Wednesday (July 4) at the prison's central unit due to Sunday's disturbance from inmates at the prison.

The disturbance started Sunday afternoon in the recreation yard at the prison in El Dorado and lasted about 4 ½ hours. Between 75 and 150 inmates were involved.

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11:55 a.m.

Officials say inmates broke dozens of windows and set fires during a weekend disturbance at a maximum-security prison in south-central Kansas.

Kansas Department of Corrections spokesman Samir Arif said Monday that nobody was hurt. The disturbance started Sunday afternoon in the recreation yard at the prison in El Dorado and lasted about 4 ½ hours. Between 75 and 150 inmates were involved.

State union president Sarah LaFrenz says a corrections officer who witnessed what happened told her around 40 windows were broken. She said two classrooms had fire and smoke damage. The officer also told LaFrenz that inmates took over radio communication devices.

She says the disturbance began after an inmate on the yard who had refused to comply with instructions was restrained and moved.

Arif confirmed there was damage but provided no specifics.

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Monday, July 2, 2018 - 8:07 a.m.

Officials say a group of inmates have surrendered after starting fires inside a maximum-security prison in south-central Kansas that has been the scene of other disturbances.

Kansas Department of Corrections spokesman Samir Arif says about 100 prisoners were involved in a disturbance that started around noon Sunday in the recreation yard at the prison in El Dorado.

Arif says prisoners refused to leave the yard and started multiple fires inside the prison. Arif says the prisoners began to surrender about 4½ hours later. Arif says no one was hurt and that the cause is under investigation. Corrections officials are examining the damage and didn't say what burned.

Several disturbances also were reported last year at the prison in El Dorado, including one that led to a five-day lockdown.

(Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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Update: 8 p.m.

Fires prompt several agencies to respond to a disturbance at The El Dorado Correctional Facility Sunday.

Officials say around noon, 100 inmates were involved in a reported 'uprising.'

A group of inmates refused to go back into their cell and proceeded to start small fires within the prisons confines.

The Kansas Department of Corrections says no one was hurt.

State representative John Whitmer, who is the Vice Chair of House Corrections and Juvenile Justice believes prisons need more money to operate and prevent these situations.

Authorities are still working to resolve the issue.

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Update: 3:30 p.m.

Kansas Governor Jeff Colyer issued the following statement in regards to the situation at the correctional facility.

Governor Colyer is aware and closely monitoring the situation. We are working with the Kansas Dept. of Corrections and local law enforcement to ensure that the situation is resolved swiftly.
Update: 3 p.m.

The Kansas Department of Corrections says around noon, a group of inmates refused to come into their living units from the yard, and refused to comply with staff orders.

The group of inmates then proceeded to start small fires within the secure perimeter.

Officials say all staff members have been accounted for, and there are no injuries.

Multiple law enforcement agencies are assisting with securing the area around the prison.

There is no danger to the community.

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Butler County Sheriff's deputies are assisting with uprising at El Dorado Correctional Facility.

According to Butler County dispatch, deputies were called to assist with the situation around 12:45 p.m. Sunday.

Dispatchers tell us the deputies are being asked to form a perimeter around the facility.

Dispatchers say they have not received any reports of injuries at this time.