Five guards injured in MS-13 gang-related attack at US Virginia prison

An inmate attack at Wallens Ridge State Prison in western Virginia on May 2 has left five guards injured, with state corrections officials revealing that most of the assailants were MS-13 gang members who had entered the US illegally.

According to the Virginia Department of Corrections, three guards were stabbed and transported for medical treatment, while two others also sustained injuries, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media. 

The department confirmed that the six inmates involved in the attack were convicted of violent crimes, including murder and rape. Five of the inmates were identified as "confirmed MS-13 gang members from El Salvador, who were in this country illegally," while the sixth inmate was a US citizen with ties to another gang.

“This senseless attack should never have involved individuals who were in this country in the first place,” said Chad Dotson, director of the Virginia Department of Corrections. “Every single day, our officers put their lives on the line to ensure public safety. … This attack is an example of the dangers they face when they show up to work every day.” In response to the incident, corrections officials declined to provide further details, citing an ongoing investigation. 

The department confirmed that three of the injured guards were treated and released on the same day. The other two guards, who sustained more serious injuries, were hospitalised and are in stable condition. Carla Miles, a spokesperson for the Department of Corrections, stated that she was unsure if the two hospitalised officers remained in care.

By Naila Huseynova