SAN DIEGO (NEWS 8) - Nearly 50 inmates were involved in a riot at the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility in Otay Mesa on Friday. The incident happened in the prison's medium custody Facility-A yard.
The riot started with one fight and then others broke out simultaneously, but all were in the same yard.
When inmates did not comply with officers' orders to stop, pepper spray was used but not lethal force, according to a prison official.
About 100 officers responded to the yard and stopped the riot in about three minutes.
Officials also said they recovered multiple inmate-manufactured weapons at the scene.
Ten inmates were hospitalized, but others may have been injured and treated at the facility. One inmate suffered serious head injuries and was transported to a hospital by emergency life flight helicopter.
Some of the facility staff were exposed to pepper spray, but none were seriously injured.
The reason for the incident is now being looked at by the Investigative Services Unit at the prison. According to a prison official, inmate movement on Facility-A has been limited.
Editor's Note: The story and headline were updated to say ten inmates were hospitalized but others may have been injured and treated at the facility.
