Barricade situation at Virginia jail resolved, police say

A barricade situation at a Virginia jail has been resolved without incident after police tried for more than 12 hours to regain control.

Around 6 p.m. on Tuesday, inmates at the Lynchburg Adult Detention Center gained control of a housing unit, forcing correctional officers out of the building, ABC affiliate WSET-TV reported. According to the station, the inmates made no demands and their motives for barricading themselves is not yet known.

Numerous streets surrounding the detention center were closed as authorities sought to regain control of the building. By 6:30 a.m. the next day, the detention center was still under a barricade.

The Lynchburg Police Department’s crisis negotiation team and tactical unit set up outside of the prison to establish communication with the inmates.

However, by 8 a.m. authorities reported that they had regained control without any injuries on either side or any hostage situations.

HAPPENING NOW: Department of Corrections are entering the Lynchburg Detention Center. pic.twitter.com/bS4SjxWG94

— Taylor Coleman (@TaylorColemanTV) August 11, 2021

Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday morning, Lynchburg prison administrator Josh Salmon said that during the barricade, the inmates damaged property inside the housing unit and destroyed equipment. Salmon said the investigation into the incident had not yet revealed much information.

According to Salmon, the housing unit that was barricaded has 48 rooms, with most rooms having one inmate though some have two.

Salmon was unable to say what caused this incident, though reporters at the press conference cited reports of subpar conditions at the prison that may have sparked a rebellion. According to Salmon, there were no indications or increases in complaints regarding prison conditions.

He added that the staffing level at the prison at the time of incident was “adequate” though he acknowledged that they were understaffed.

Lynchburg Police Department Chief Ryan Zuidema said the inmates were “relocated without any incident, without any use of force.”