Deadly Prison Brawl Leaves Three Inmates Dead in Nevada

A violent gang-related brawl inside Nevada's Ely State Prison has claimed the lives of three inmates and left nine others injured. The incident, which occurred on Tuesday afternoon, has prompted a lockdown and an investigation into the root cause of the altercation.

Three inmates have been killed and nine others injured after a gang-related brawl erupted inside Nevada's only maximum-security prison.

The incident happened at Ely State Prison in a rural, eastern part of the state on Tuesday afternoon, prompting a lockdown, according to the Associated Press.

Deadly Prison Brawl Leaves Three Inmates Dead in Nevada

Nevada's Department of Corrections described the fight as an "altercation," but said no officers were hurt. It did not release the names of the inmates who died or the conditions of those injured.

Gov. Joe Lombardo's office told Fox5 Vegas that the brawl was gang-related. The state prison system has been plagued by violence in recent years, with two other inmates dying at Ely State Prison in April and May of this year.

Deadly Prison Brawl Leaves Three Inmates Dead in Nevada

Ely State Prison is described by the Nevada Department of Corrections as the "designated maximum-security prison" for the state with a capacity of 1,183 inmates. Around 400 staff currently work at the facility.

In December 2022, several inmates at Ely State Prison held a hunger strike over what advocates and some family members described as unsafe conditions and inadequate food portions.

Deadly Prison Brawl Leaves Three Inmates Dead in Nevada

The recent deaths have raised concerns about the safety and security of Nevada's prison system. Gov. Lombardo has ordered an investigation into the incident and has pledged to take action to prevent further violence.

The Nevada Department of Corrections has not yet released any information about the specific circumstances that led to the brawl. However, gang violence is a common problem in prisons across the United States, and it is often the result of rivalries between different groups of inmates.

The incident at Ely State Prison is a reminder of the dangers that prison staff and inmates face on a daily basis. It is also a reminder of the need to address the underlying causes of violence in prisons, such as overcrowding, understaffing, and lack of rehabilitative programs.