10/23/16 — 'Disturbance' at Neuse Correctional -- at least two injured

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'Disturbance' at Neuse Correctional -- at least two injured

By News-Argus Staff
Published in News on October 23, 2016 10:33 PM

News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO

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News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO

A law Enforcement helicopter is casting its spotlight on the Neuse Correctional Institution grounds. Smoke s still visible rising from the area

UPDATE -- A N.C. Department of Public Safety news release issued at 10:16 p.m. Sunday said the disturbance at the Neuse Correctional Institution has been brought under control.

According to the release, a small group of inmates started two separate fires at about 4:30 p.m. The Prison Emergency Response Team (PERT,) along with the Wayne County Sheriff's Office, the Goldsboro Police Department, the Johnston County Sheriff's Office and the N.C. State Highway Patrol responded along with probation and parole and other area law enforcement personnel.

A corrections officer remains hospitalized with what DPS said are non-life threatening injuries. An inmate injured in the incident has been treated and released.

According to the release, the prison will remain on lockdown until further notice and the PERT team will remain at the site to maintain security.

The North Carolina Department of Public Safety has said the Wayne County Sheriff's Office is now in command at the scene of an ongoing disturbance at Neuse Correctional Institution.

Calls to DPS and to the Adult Department of Corrections for further comment were not returned by the time of this report.

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Original report -- At least one inmate and one employee have been transported to Wayne Memorial Hospital with non-life threatening injuries, Maj. Tom Effler said. 

"The public is not at risk," he added.

Initial reports of a riot at the facility have not been confirmed. Fire Department personnel from multiple departments are on scene and have at least one fire under control.

Several large buses have begun moving into the area and additional sheriff's office patrol cars have been tasked with providing an escort. Officials have not yet given word to where the inmates who are under control at the moment might be moved, nor when.

The minimum security prison's web site indicates there are currently 788 inmates being housed at Neuse Correctional with a staff size of 279.

As of 8:30 p.m. Sunday, additional fire units were being called in to assist crews already on scene and to provide rehabilitation to the firefighters -- water, a place to cool down -- who've already been working to contain or extinguish fires at the facility caused during the disturbance.

So far, reporters at the scene have been pushed back to the nearby State Employees Credit Union to await word from state officials. Updates will be provided as more information becomes available.