COLUMBIA, S.C. — Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott says 12 inmates have now been charged with attacking two guards at the Alvin S. Detention Center in Columbia.
Lott gave an update into the investigation of the incident, which took place in the mornings hours of September 3 at the center, which is the county's jail facility.
The sheriff said the inmates were upset that day about a lack of recreation time. They were housed in a pod at the jail that had 54 inmates.
One of the inmates was able to jimmy the lock to a door, Lott said, and let others out.
Lott played a video which showed a portion of what took place next. The guards were sitting at a desk inside the jail when a group of inmates approached them. The inmates first started picking up trash cans near the desk and throwing them, but eventually got the guards down on the ground and began kicking and punching them.
"I can't imagine how scared these corrections officers were when they were attacked," Lott said.
Soon after the riot began, the sheriff department's Special Response Team was called in to assist and brought the situation under control. The sheriff's department said no inmates were injured.
Lott said the suspects were all in the jail facing charges for serious crimes, including murder, attempted murder, kidnapping, and carjacking.
"They deserve to be locked up," Lott said.
Lott said the officers who were attacked are physically better but he said there's been an emotional toll on them.
"They're getting help, and they're going to need help for the time being."
Lott said it was just luck the county did not see a repeat of the tragedy in September 2000 where Alvin Glenn, a corrections officer working at the jail, was attacked and killed by inmates. The jail was subsequently named in his honor.
"I wanted everyone to remember Alvin S. Glenn," Lott said, and opened and closed the news conference by showing his picture.