More than 100 prisoners occupied a section of the City Justice Center in downtown St. Louis, injuring a prison guard at the facility, officials said.
The incident started at about 2:30 am on Saturday, on the fourth floor of the prison, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Jacob Long, Mayor Lyda Krewson’s spokesman, told NBC News that the situation continues.
Police and firefighters were at the scene and closed the area around the building, reported NBC affiliate KSDK.
The group of about 115 prisoners threw items from broken windows and started a small fire inside the prison, Long said. They also flooded clogged floors and bathrooms, according to the Post-Dispatch.
Long told KSDK it was a “very dangerous disorder”.
Chairs and other items were scattered across the street and at least one car had a broken windshield, the agency said. Several of the prisoners were seen holding signs and singing.
A male prison officer was injured during the incident and taken to hospital in an unknown state.
As of Friday, there were 633 inmates at the Justice Center. The police told KSDK that all prisoners are protected inside the building.
This is an evolving story; check again for updates.
