'We could've lost several lives': Inmate killed, seven hospitalized during Manitoba prison riot
An inmate has died and seven others were hospitalized following a riot at a Manitoba prison Monday night, an incident the union representing correctional officers said could have escalated into a much more serious situation.
RCMP confirmed on Tuesday that an inmate from Winnipeg, a 33-year-old man, had died following a “large fight” at Stony Mountain Institution involving multiple inmates.
RCMP said some of the inmates were armed with edged weapons during the fight. Seven were injured and taken to hospital.
STARS Air Ambulance, RCMP officers and other ambulances responded to the prison just after 6:30 p.m., with STARS confirming one person was airlifted to a Winnipeg hospital in serious condition.
The investigation into the incident continues.
‘VERY VIOLENT ENVIRONMENT’: UNION SAYS DRUGS, GANG ACTIVITY GROWING
James Bloomfield, Union of Canadian Correctional Officers regional president, in an email called the incident a "deadly riot." He said it took place during recreation time in the exercise yard.
“There was a full staff response last night that was there,” Bloomfield said. “We did call in an emergency response team, but we got the situation under control fairly quickly.”
Warning shots and pepper spray were used to control the crowd, but despite the quick response, the situation was serious, Bloomfield said.
“We could’ve lost several lives,” he said. “It was the actions of those officers that saved several lives last night.”
The union says it is concerned about increased drug and gang activity in prisons across Canada, including at Stony Mountain. Bloomfield said there haven’t been any repercussions for inmates for violent acts or drugs.
“It allows this type of stuff to fester and grow into more and more violence,” he said. “Every day, the service is getting worse for officers, we’ve got more drugs than we’ve ever had before. It is a very violent environment right now across the entire country.”
Bloomfield says the union wants Correctional Service Canada to ensure the safety of officers and address the drug and gang activity in prison.
“When there is no accountability, and the violence grows and there’s still no accountability, it’s just going to continue to grow.”
Movement among inmates in Stony Mountain will be restricted for quite some time, Bloomfield said, as the incident is investigated.
He said the union is currently focused on supporting the mental health of officers in the coming days and weeks.
In a statement, CSC identified the deceased as Colton Patchinose, who had been serving a sentence for first-degree murder, attempted murder with a firearm, aggravated assault and assaulting a peace officer since April 2011.
“The Stonewall detachment of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the institution are presently investigating the incident,” the organization said in a prepared statement. “As in all cases involving the death of an inmate, CSC will review the circumstances.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Decoy bear used to catch man who illegally killed a grizzly, B.C. conservation officers say
A man has been handed a lengthy hunting ban and fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing a grizzly bear, B.C. conservation officers say.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
OPP responds to apparent video of officer supporting anti-Trudeau government protestors
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) says it's investigating an interaction between a uniformed officer and anti-Trudeau government protestors after a video circulated on social media.
An emergency slide falls off a Delta Air Lines plane, forcing pilots to return to JFK in New York
An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday from New York, and pilots who felt a vibration in the plane circled back to land safely at JFK Airport.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Loud boom in Hamilton caused by propane tank, police say
A loud explosion was heard across Hamilton on Friday after a propane tank was accidentally destroyed and detonated at a local scrap metal yard, police say.