Inmates at the Bertie-Martin Regional Detention Center in Windsor, North Carolina, overpowered correctional staff and seized control of parts of the facility early Monday morning. The incident began around 5 a.m. when 88 inmates and three guards were inside the jail. Two guards were taken hostage, while a third escaped. Authorities, including local, state, and federal law enforcement, responded immediately and regained control of the facility by early afternoon.
By 9:30 a.m., negotiations led to the release of the two hostages and 18 inmates. Another group of inmates exited the facility shortly after. The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) and FBI cleared the facility by 1:45 p.m., confirming all inmates and staff were safe and accounted for. Injuries were treated, and inmates were transferred to other facilities. The detention center remains secured for damage assessment.
Bertie County Sheriff Tyrone Ruffin emphasized the safety of staff, inmates, and the community as the top priority. He acknowledged concerns about conditions inside the detention center but dismissed them as "misinformation." The incident appears related to inmate grievances, though no specific motive has been confirmed.
The facility will remain closed while authorities assess the damage and determine the cause of the uprising.