A video just surfaced this morning from the St. Louis Justice Center where a prison riot has kicked off.
As the STL Today reported inmates at the City Justice Center downtown appeared to set a fire smashing out windows and throwing debris to the ground below.
A group of inmates were seen gathered at the shattered windows of an upper floor of the jail about 6:30 a.m. They broke adjacent windows and threw chairs and other debris to the sidewalk below on Tucker Boulevard.
Flames could be seen just inside the windows and items appeared to have been set on fire before being thrown to the sidewalk below. Firefighters and emergency vehicles were at the scene shortly before 7 a.m. Dozens of people gathered to watch from the other side of Tucker and at least one live video of the disturbance was posted to Facebook.
Jacob Long, spokesman for Mayor Lyda Krewson, said in email that the mayor and Public Safety Director Jimmie Edwards were at the scene of the “very dangerous disturbance.”
Videos below:
BREAKING! Happening now — A prison riot has kicked off at the St. Louis Justice Center. pic.twitter.com/pCasOnvRjR
— Tony (@Mrtdogg) February 6, 2021
🚨🚨Happening Now: Prison rioters are starting multiple fires 🔥 at the St. Louis Justice Center in #Missouri pic.twitter.com/dDJvB4i3PL
— CIA-Simulation Warlord 🇺🇸🦈🇺🇸 (@zerosum24) February 6, 2021
A longer video below:
The group of about 115 prisoners threw items out of broken windows and started a small fire inside the jail, Long said. They also flooded floors and clogged toilets, according to the Post-Dispatch.
Chairs and other items were scattered across the street and at least one car had a shattered windshield, the outlet reported. Several of the inmates were seen holding signs and chanting.
A male corrections officer was injured during the incident and taken to the hospital in unknown condition.
As of Friday, there were 633 inmates at the Justice Center.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
