Several inmates hurt in disturbance at St. Louis City Jail

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Several inmates were injured during another disturbance at the troubled St. Louis city jail this weekend.

City spokesman Nick Dunne said roughly a dozen inmates attacked four others around 12:30 a.m. Saturday while they were in a recreation area on the fourth floor. The victims of the attack were taken to a hospital, and the inmates that officials could determine were involved in the attack were transferred to St. Louis' old city jail, known as the workhouse.

The city said officers used chemical spray to regain control of the area where the attack took place, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

The latest disturbance was the seventh one in the past eight months at the downtown jail, including three over the last month. In early August about 120 inmates were temporarily moved back to the workhouse after some of them jimmied locks to escape from their cells.

Detainees have slipped out of their cells several times in recent months, including in February when about 115 detainees took control of the fourth floor and set fires, clogged toilets, flooded parts of the floor and caused other damage.

In April, detainees escaped their cells to protest conditions at the jail and demand court dates after court proceedings were delayed by the coronavirus pandemic.

City officials continue to work on making needed upgrades to the downtown jail, including upgrading the locks.

As of Saturday night, the downtown jail held 432 people while 99 were being held at the workhouse, according to the city website. The downtown jail has the capacity to hold 658 but two 66-person units are currently not being used while they are being upgraded.