Yard Out @ Walla Walla

[Waxd0g]

PENITENTIARY: 30 segregated after gang fight at Walla Walla prison


Walla Walla A gang fight that broke out in the Washington State Penitentiary has sent 30 prisoners into segregation, authorities said.

The fight between members of the Norteno and Sureno “security threat groups” also prompted officials to temporarily restrict movement in the gang unit, authorities said.

Operations were returned to normal in the Walla Walla prison’s west complex this morning as officials continue to investigating the fight, spokeswoman Joni Aiyeku said.

Twenty-three prisoners were involved in the fight, while seven others identified as instigating the confrontation, she said.

Prison staff responded within 30 seconds and were able to stop the fight within two minutes, authorities said.

Three staff members sustained minor injuries trying to break up the fight. Some prisoners were also injured, but everyone was treated at the facility’s clinic.

In a move to reduce gang violence in prisons around the state, the Department of Corrections is sending all gang-affiliated prisoner to the penitentiary’s new gang unit.

“We knew this would be a challenge when we started this process,” said prison Superintendent Steve Sinclair. “Facility staff have done an amazing job managing it. Following Wednesday’s situation we will be implementing procedural changes to prevent it from happening again.”

The four units in the west complex house 792 prisoners, but the problems between the Norteno and Sureno gangs are so volatile, the two groups are kept in separate units, authorities said.

When the fight started, one group was in the recreation yard and the other was returning from education, but they somehow ended up in the same area at the same time, Aiyeku said

[rvlm]

Sounds to me like it is time for a long-term lockdown on the gang unit in order to show them who is really in charge there.

[dollymadison]

lock 'em down and keep 'em down for long enough to hurt

[crayers]

It is not the inmates fault! Management put line staff at risk. Everyone knows that vinegar and water does not mix. They sure should have known that Surenos (#13 and blue) and Nortenos (#14 and red) do not mix. They have to fight, it is the code. You are never going to get true South Siders and Northerners on the same yard to co-exist, especially in a west coast penitentiary.

The videos are to graphic to post, but go to you tube. Look up “lean like a Sureno” then watch “lean like a Norteno”. There is to much bad blood between the two groups.

When the article states “Prison staff responded within 30 seconds and were able to stop the fight within two minutes.” In my opinion, management expected something to happen and they had staff on standby. It is a shame staff suffered injuries for an experiment that everyone should have known was not going to work. Name me a west coast penitentiary that has true Surenos and Nortenos walking mainline together.

[leamas]

Glad to hear all staff are doing well....as for the inmates, whatever happens, happens

[COSpitfire]

Prison staff responded within 30 seconds and were able to stop the fight within two minutes, authorities said.

very, very, very nice....now THAT is fast response. i'm loving it.

[Sweeney4230]

kudos to the staff for taking charge!

[WSPCO]

The truth is that the state wants to send all STG to Walla Walla but dosn't want to keep the staffing levels to help keep these gangs form fighting and to keep officers safe. It's like the state wants to send them to WSP and forget about them. If they want to send the gangs to Walla Walla then staff it accordingly and create a true gang unit with all the training and equipment needed to get the job done and get tough on them to let them know who's the BOSS.