By Alison Cutler
The Charlotte Observer
BRIDGE CITY, La. — A late-night riot broke out in a Louisiana detention facility on the same day five young inmates escaped through a hole in the ceiling, media outlets report.
About 20 juveniles broke loose within the center and attempted to take control of the Bridge City Center For Youth facility, located just outside New Orleans, on June 16, a Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office spokesperson told WDSU.
One inmate and one staff member were injured during the incident, according to a news release from the Office of Juvenile Justice (OJJ).
Up to 50 SWAT officers were called in to control the situation, WBRZ reported. Deputies from four patrol districts and K9s were also on scene, WVUE reported. All the youth involved in the riot were transferred to a separate facility, according to the release.
“It takes a lot of personnel to come here and secure a facility of this size,” Jason Rivarde, the Jefferson Parish’s public information officer, told WVUE. “It’s what we have to do because of the problems we are having here.”
In the early hours of June 16, five teens escaped from the facility by cutting a hole in the ceiling of a bathroom, McClatchy News previously reported.
All five inmates who escaped were caught, an OJJ spokesperson told McClatchy News.
State Sen. Pat Connick is calling for the facility to close due to staffing and security concerns. He told WWLTV that the riot was a “tipping point.”
“We need to shut down this facility and get these juveniles out of this neighborhood,” Connick told WWLTV. “The facility is not designed to house violent inmates. The kids now know how to escape. They’re clever and cause chaos.”
©2022 The Charlotte Observer. Visit charlotteobserver.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.