SBI says Bertie-Martin jail inmate takeover is now over
The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation says the jail inmate takeover at Bertie-Martin Regional Jail in Windsor is over. Law enforcement regained control Monday afternoon after inmates overpowered staff around 5 a.m. and held two guards hostage. All inmates and staff are safe, though officials say the investigation could take days.
Key Takeaways
- Inmates seized control of the Bertie-Martin Regional Jail around 5 a.m. Monday with 88 inmates and three officers inside.
- Negotiations freed two hostage guards by 9:30 a.m.; SBI and FBI agents secured the facility by early afternoon.
- All inmates and staff are safe; injured individuals received treatment and inmates were moved to other facilities.
- Sheriff Tyrone Ruffin said the jail suffered damage and remains closed while authorities assess conditions and staffing.
- Officials have not said what prompted the takeover; SBI and FBI interviews are expected to continue for days.
What happened during the Bertie-Martin jail inmate takeover?
The incident began around 5 a.m. Monday at the Bertie-Martin Regional Detention Center just outside Windsor in Bertie County, according to the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation. Inmates assaulted on-duty correctional officers and seized control of portions of the facility.
At the time, 88 inmates and three correctional officers were inside the jail. One officer escaped shortly after the takeover began. The other two were held hostage as dozens of local, state and federal agencies converged on the scene.
Bertie County Sheriff Tyrone Ruffin said the first deputy arrived within two minutes but could not enter. A secure perimeter was established while negotiators and tactical teams worked to resolve the standoff.
How did law enforcement end the hostage situation?
According to WCTI, negotiations led to the safe release of the two hostage officers along with 18 inmates around 9:30 a.m. About 20 minutes later, another group of inmates was released from the facility.
WRAL reported that two guards and 80 inmates were removed over hours of negotiation before authorities gave a public update around 5 p.m. Monday. By 2 p.m., WITN reported, law enforcement had regained full control and all inmates were removed from the building.
SBI and FBI agents secured the jail Monday afternoon, ending a response that stretched nearly 10 hours. Sheriff Ruffin confirmed all three correctional officers were safe, had received medical treatment, and that there were no fatalities.
What happens next after the jail standoff?
The SBI and FBI will conduct interviews to determine how inmates gained control, and Sheriff Ruffin said the investigation could last several days. He noted open questions about jail conditions and staffing, though the facility is run by a regional jail authority rather than his office directly.
Inmates who were injured received treatment, and others were transferred to other detention facilities by bus. The jail remains closed while officials assess damage inside the building. Authorities asked the public to avoid the area as crews finish clearing the scene.
Gov. Josh Stein said he was relieved the officers on duty are safe and that the situation is stabilized. No official cause for the takeover has been released. For more coverage of similar incidents, see our True Crime & Unsolved Mysteries section.