By The Associated Press
ONTARIO, Ore. — A guard in an observation tower shot an inmate while trying to break up a brawl involving more than 100 prisoners in a yard at the Snake River Correctional Institution on Sunday, a spokeswoman said.
The inmate’s name and condition have not been released. Three other inmates were taken to a hospital with injuries sustained in the melee that involved roughly 120 inmates, said Amber Campbell, a prison spokeswoman.
Campbell said investigators have yet to determine what started the fight. She said between 200 and 400 inmates are typically in a prison yard during a recreation period.
Staff members have the authority to shoot, if needed, to stop violence, Campbell said. Shots have been fired before, but this is the first time an inmate has ever been struck.
Campbell did not know the distance from the tower to the yard below.
The medium-security prison near the Idaho state line has almost 3,000 inmates. It was on lockdown status and visiting hours were canceled Sunday afternoon.