California’s Biggest Prison Riot

A riot took place at California Men’s Colony                             Nine prisoners were taken to hospital for treatment after being stabbed during the chaos, with one later announced dead.

The deceased prisoner, Matthew Cook, was serving 13 years and eight months for burglary.

The other wounded men were expected to be discharged soon.

Rubber bullets and pepper spray were used control the 160 inmates involved in the riot at a prison in California.

The prison was brought back under the control of authorities within 10 minutes of violence breaking out and no staff members were injured.

The disturbance broke out just before 11.00am local time on Sunday at California Men’s Colony near San Luis Obispo, prison spokeswoman Lieutenant Monica Ayon revealed.

Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center, spokesman Ron Yukelson revealed three of the men were given trauma-level care.

Prison officials are investigating the cause of the riot and the carnage that ensued.

Lieutenant Ayon said the riot was the largest she can remember after 22 years at the facility and the first fatal incident of its kind.

The riot took place in a medium-security section of the prison that houses 600 prisoners, though only 160 to 170 took part.

Prisoners were locked in their cells while a clean-up operation took place in the prison yard