February 1, 2017
Delaware State Police say inmates who took five Department of Corrections employees hostage at a maximum-security prison have released one person.
State police spokesman Sgt. Richard Bratz said at a media briefing Wednesday evening that the four other employees remain in the inmates’ custody at James T. Vaughn Correctional Center in Smyrna. He says negotiations are underway.
The incident started at 10:30 a.m. this morning when a correctional officer inside a building that houses over 100 inmates radioed for immediate assistance. Other officers responded to help, and Bratz says that’s when the five employees were taken hostage.
One hostage was releases around 2:40 p.m. and taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
The hostage situation is ongoing at this time. (6:09 p.m. EST).
