Multiple officers were injured during a stabbing frenzy carried out by illegal alien gang members inside a Virginia prison this week, authorities say.
The incident unfolded at around 9:45 a.m. on Friday at Wallens Ridge State Prison, a supermax penitentiary in Big Stone Gap.
At least six inmates participated in the “apparently premeditated” attack that left five corrections officers injured, three of whom were stabbed, the Virginia Department of Corrections (VADOC) explained in a press release.
Five of the inmates involved are “confirmed MS-13 gang members from El Salvador” who are in the U.S. illegally and have been convicted of serious violent crimes, including murder and rape.
The sixth inmate is a U.S. citizen and Sureño 13 gang member who is serving a sentence for second-degree murder.
Five officers received outside medical treatment, two of whom were hospitalized in stable condition.
“Five of the individuals responsible for this senseless attack should never have been in this country in the first place,” said VADOC Director Chad Dotson. “Every single day, our officers put their lives on the line to ensure public safety for the more than 8.8 million people across the Commonwealth.”
“This attack is an example of the dangers they face when they show up to work every day. Our officers are heroes, and I commend the team at Wallens Ridge for their swift response.”
An investigation is ongoing.