Authorities end takeover at NC jail hours after inmates overpower guards

WINDSOR, N.C. (WTVD) -- Inmates overpowered correctional staffers and took over parts of a jail in eastern North Carolina early Monday, but the siege ended hours later when law enforcement officers entered the facility and seized control.

Three guards and 88 inmates were inside the Bertie-Martin Regional Jail in Windsor when the takeover began at about 5 a.m., prompting an immediate response from local, state and federal authorities, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation said in a statement posted on social media.

By early afternoon, the SBI and the FBI had "cleared the facility," the state bureau said in a statement.

"All inmates and staff are safe and accounted for, and those who sustained injuries have received treatment," the SBI said.

On Monday night, questions lingered about what caused the takeover and whether there was a safety risk. Bertie County Sheriff Tyrone Ruffin sought to address those concerns.

"There's a lot of questions about the conditions of the jail. A lot of questions about staffing at the jail. Those are things that I do not know because I'm not over the jail," Ruffin said.

The Bertie-Martin Regional Jail serves both counties, but is not run by either sheriff's office. It is operated by a jail authority appointed by county commissioners.

That's not the case in Vance County, which has seen crowding and safety complaints after two inmates escaped. And then more recently, when another inmate tried to escape and was injured in the process.

Commissioners said the Vance County sheriff has agreed to a public safety meeting to address those concerns. The North Carolina Sheriffs' Association said that between local detentions and state detention centers, funding is an issue.

The state budget is set to include raises for law enforcement and corrections.

"For some jails across the state, they're fully staffed," said Eddie Caldwell, of the North Carolina Sheriffs' Association. "In others, they are shorthanded and working to fill those vacancies. Pay is certainly a part of it. And, you know, if you're working in a jail where you're not making any more than you could make in a fast food restaurant, most folks would choose to work in the fast food restaurant."

As for the incident in Bertie County, he said he's grateful for the quick response to end things peacefully.

"It's a coordinated response, There's no territorial issues," Caldwell said. "It's all hands on deck when something happens, and they were able to secure the facility, get everyone out in custody."

The facility will remain secured while the damage is assessed, and inmates have been transferred to other facilities, the SBI said. Windsor is about 120 miles east of Raleigh.

Inmates took two guards captive, but the third guard escaped. Negotiations led to the release of the two guards along with 80 inmates, leaving only eight inmates inside, Ruffin said at a news conference. The 80 inmates were transferred to other facilities.

Ruffin said the two guards who were released are undergoing medical treatment, but he had no details about their injuries.

There was no threat to the general public, Ruffin said in a statement.

Authorities have not addressed why there were only three guards overseeing the jail at the time of the takeover.

Ruffin did not indicate what caused the takeover.

"Right now we have a lot going on that we're trying to get under control," he said. "I will release that information to the public as soon as I can."

Nearly 20 agencies responded to assist with the effort.

- The Associated Press contributed.