A fight broke out in Los Angeles County's Twin Towers Jail on Tuesday, involving 62 inmates.
The fight broke out at 12:10 p.m. between Latino and black inmates. It occurred on the third floor recreation area of Tower one and was stopped after about 90 seconds when deputies fired rubber "sting balls" and pepper spray, said Steve Whitmore, the sheriff's spokesman.
"We cannot say how many of the inmates were exactly involved, but 62 were in the area at the time," Whitmore said. The cause of the fight is unknown.
The altercation left four injured, needing treatment at the medical center for cuts and bruises. The incident is being investigated and charges are likely to be forthcoming once the culprits have been clearly identified, according to Whitmore.
According to Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman Erik Scott, who spoke to Reuters, six patients were transported to the hospital, two in serious condition, though he was uncertain if they were all inmates.
"This is something that does occur throughout our jail system from time to time," Whitmore said. "People in our jail are under a lot of tension...and it does regrettably happen."
Twin Towers is among the most modern jails in the country, with module-designed levels. It houses nearly 4,500 inmates. Twin Towers has rarely been the scene of fights of this magnitude, though they have been common at the nearby Pitchess facility in Castaic.
Los Angeles County operates the country's largest jail system, housing between 18,000 to 19,000 inmates daily. The Sheriff, Lee Baca, has recently come under harsh criticism for his operation of the jails. The FBI has broadened an investigation into violence in jails and Baca has hired an outsider to oversee its operation.
That investigation has led to the conviction of one deputy and is now examining two additional cases of unprovoked beatings involving deputies, according to sources that spoke to the Los Angeles Times.
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