A disturbance at Lieber Correctional Institution is under control but the institution is still on lockdown after several inmates overpowered two guards Wednesday night, taking their keys and radios before scattering throughout a dormitory.

Corrections and law enforcement officials said the incident occurred a little after 9 p.m. Wednesday in the Ashley dormitory, which currently houses some 229 inmates.  According to SC Dept. of Corrections Spokesman Clark Newsom, several inmates overpowered two guards and took their keys and radios before fleeing into various parts of the dormitory. The guards were released and the institution placed into lockdown status.

It is not yet known how many inmates were involved, Newsom said.

“We’re still investigating the incident,” he said.

A special operations/hostage negotiation team from SCDOC, known as the SITCON team, made the decision to enter the dorm to quell the disturbance. They did deploy tear gas, Newsom said.

“We had most of them subdued and secured by about 4 a.m.” Newsom said. “A couple are still unaccounted for, but we expect to have them soon.”

The two corrections officers were transported by EMS to Trident Medical Center for treatment of minor injuries and released. Newsom said he received no reports of any inmates injured.

“They did a little damage in the dormitory – destroyed some sprinklers, broke some office windows,” he said. “The institution is still on lockdown, but the situation is under control.

No inmates ever got outside of the dormitory and the public was never in danger, Newsom said.

Newsom praised and thanked area law enforcement agencies, which all stepped in to help contain and control the situation.

“Everyone was very cooperative and helpful in helping us get this situation under control,” Newsom said. “We had people from local law enforcement agencies throughout the Lowcountry, as well as SC DNR and the highway patrol. We really appreciate their help.”

Newsom said the investigation is ongoing and disciplinary action will be taken against those involved, although he said he did not know what formal charges, if any, might be made.

Lieber is classified as a Level 3 facility; Level 3 facilities are high-security institutions designed primarily to house violent offenders with longer sentences and inmates who exhibit behavioral problems. Housing consists of single and double cells and all perimeters are double-fenced with extensive electronic surveillance. Inmates at level 3 facilities are closely supervised and their activities and movement within the institution are highly restricted.

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