CLALLAM BAY – A fight involving about 80 inmates at Clallam Bay Corrections Center Wednesday evening forced tower officers to fire seven warning shots in order to break it up. No officers were hurt during the incident, but several inmates were injured, some of whom were transported to outside hospitals. The prison’s website says the facility is on restricted movement with cancelled programs until further notice, and visitation is closed at least through Sunday as the investigation continues into the cause of the fight.
The altercation occurred at about 7:30 pm in the recreation yard. A news release says all directives to stop were ignored including verbal directives and discharge of pepper spray.
The tower officers sounded the alarm and gave warnings through the speaker before resorting to the warning shots aimed in an unoccupied area.
Official policy dictates that an incident involving the discharge of a weapon initiates both an internal and external investigation. In this case, the external investigation would be conducted by the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office.
Clallam Bay Corrections Center houses over 850 medium, close, and maximum custody male inmates.
A prison spokesman could be reached for comment.