Prisoners overpower guards at 5 am, take over detention center, NC officials say

Negotiations were ongoing Monday morning at the Bertie-Martin Regional Detention Center in Eastern North Carolina after a group of prisoners seized control of the facility, according to the N.C. State Bureau of Investigation.

It happened at 5 a.m. Monday, and “a secure perimeter” around the detention center has prevented any inmates from escaping, state officials said.

“The inmates inside the detention center assaulted on-duty guards and gained control of portions of the building,” the SBI reports.

“At the time of the takeover, a total of 88 inmates and 3 guards were inside the facility. Shortly after the incident began, one guard was able to escape the facility, while two guards were taken hostage.”

Negotiations led to the release of 18 inmates and the two guards at 9:30 a.m. Monday. Another “large group” of inmates was released 20 minutes later, officials said.

Details of injuries among the staff and inmates have not been released.

“Our top priority is the safety of our staff, inmates, and the surrounding community,” said Bertie County Sheriff Tyrone Ruffin said in the release.

“We are coordinating closely with multiple law enforcement partners to resolve this situation safely and as quickly as possible.”

The detention center is located in Windsor, about a 115-mile drive northeast from downtown Raleigh.

Nearly 20 law enforcement agencies have been called to the scene, including the FBI, officials said.

This story was originally published June 29, 2026 at 11:17 AM with the headline "Prisoners overpower guards at 5 am, take over detention center, NC officials say."