Inmate Killed in Fight at Central Jail
A 21-year-old inmate was stabbed to death and others were wounded Monday in a “major disturbance” involving up to 200 prisoners at Men’s Central Jail in downtown Los Angeles, sheriff’s deputies said.
The fight broke out about 4:30 p.m. in a large holding cell and apparently was racially motivated, authorities said.
The 21-year-old, who wasn’t identified, died about four hours later at County-USC Medical Center. Four or five other prisoners were hospitalized, none with serious injuries, deputies said.
Deputy Rich Pena said guards quelled the violence “within a few minutes.”
Between 180 and 200 prisoners were believed to have been involved in the melee, but deputies were still trying to determine what triggered it.
“We don’t really know yet what happened,” Pena said.
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