After around 200 prisoners at Ironwood State Prison rioted, seriously injuring at least eight prison guards and one prisoner on Wednesday, the state prison system has been on lockdown with tens of thousands of prisoners confined to their cells, the San Jose Mercury News reports.
Witnesses said the prisoners at Ironwood organized and rushed at corrections officers in waves, threatening the guards and other staff before officers fired warning shots, used “non-lethal weapons,” and deployed tear gas to regain control of the situation. State officials ordered the lockdown because they were concerned the Ironwood riot would potentially inspire events planned at prisons. The lockdown will be lifted after state authorities complete a threat assessment.