KLAS

Inmates attack officers with weapons inside Las Vegas-area prison

Southern Desert prison (KLAS)

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Two officers were attacked at a Las Vegas-area prison on Tuesday, according to the Nevada Department of Corrections.

Eight to 10 inmates attacked the officers with prison-made weapons, including at least one shank, a department spokesperson said. One of the officers was treated at a hospital and released.

The incident occurred at Southern Desert Correctional Center, a medium-security prison in Indian Springs, which is an approximate 45-minute drive north of Las Vegas. The prison was placed on lockdown as a result of the incident which remains under investigation.

Earlier in the month, an inmate was stabbed at the facility. He was airlifted to a nearby hospital and later returned to a prison facility. The suspect was moved to segregation.

This is the same prison where a convicted murderer escaped last year. Porfirio Duarte-Herrera was captured after a manhunt by multiple law enforcement agencies.

There was also riot in December 2021, which the 8 News Now Investigators uncovered.

The attack is the latest in a series of violent incidents inside Nevada prisons. There is a severe shortage of correctional officers. As a result, prisons are on frequent lockdowns and programs for inmates have become limited.