ST. LOUIS – A problem at the St. Louis Justice Center stopped the process of bringing in new inmates on Sunday.
According to a spokesperson for the St. Louis City Public Safety Department, several detainees left their cells and gathered in the commons area.
The disturbance began around 7 a.m. Sunday morning as correctional officers used several tactics, including pepper spray, to get the inmates back in their cells.
Justice Center officials say the disturbance lasted two and a half hours and forced the stoppage of all inmate processing.
Officials say the processing is back up and running, resuming around 3 p.m. Sunday afternoon. No serious injuries were reported but EMS treated one correctional officer for minor breathing issues on the scene.
The cause of the disturbance is under investigation. This latest incident comes nearly a year after a previous disturbance at the justice center, where inmates held a prison guard in his 70s hostage.
That led to the closure of Tucker between Market Street and Clark Avenue, right between the justice center and city hall.
This marks the third incident at the city justice center in just the past week, raising concerns about safety and security.
