Indiana Prison Reported In 'Full-Scale Riot'

NEW CASTLE, Ind. -- Inmates were rioting at a state prison near New Castle on Tuesday afternoon, prompting the state to mobilize emergency squads and ask other police agencies to help, the Department of Correction said.

The disturbance, which involved both Indiana inmates and prisoners who were brought in from Arizona, started at about 2 p.m. at the New Castle Correctional Facility, the department said.

Two prison staff members were injured and were receiving treatment, the department said.

"We are quickly collaborating with local law enforcement to properly handle the New Castle Correctional Facility situation," department Commissioner J. David Donahue said.

Several people who claimed they were in contact with prison staff by cell phone told Indianapolis station WRTV that many of the Arizona inmates have been dissatisfied with circumstances there and played a major role in starting the riot. The Department of Correction has yet to comment on what led to the disturbance.

Video from WRTV's helicopter showed dozens and perhaps hundreds of people -- apparently prisoners -- standing outside the facility. Smoke from small fires outside the building rose into the air.

Several police agencies -- including the Indiana State Police, the FBI, the Henry County Sheriff's Department and the New Castle Police Department -- said Tuesday afternoon that they've been called to assist.

Indiana last month reached an agreement with Arizona to house some of their prisoners at the New Castle facility, in part because the New Castle prison wasn't even half full and because Arizona needed to free space in their own system.

Katie Decker, a spokeswoman with the Arizona Department of Corrections, when asked about the disturbance at the New Castle prison, said: "We're working hand-in-hand with Indiana officials on this situation."

About 630 Arizona inmates are at the prison, Decker said.

In mid-March, before the Arizona inmates arrived, the facility had 1,038 inmates. The facility opened in 2002, and its inmate capacity is 2,416.

Decker said Arizona needed to send inmates out of state because it had 4,000 more prisoners than it should handle.

"It isn't something we like to do, but when you're looking at a crunch, you have to put them where you can," said Decker, who added that Arizona also has inmates in Oklahoma.

New Castle is about 40 miles east of downtown Indianapolis.