On Wednesday, an officer at the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center radioed for help around 10:30 a.m. from a building at the prison that housed more than 100 inmates, Delaware Police spokesman Richard Bratz said. Police responded to the initial report and four prison employees, including a female counselor, were taken hostage, as Reuters reported.
Delaware Homeland Security Secretary Robert Coupe said inmates used “sharp instruments” to gain control of the all-male prison.
Inmates at the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center called The News Journal, a local newspaper, twice to explain their motivation and issue demands.
They said they had experienced abuse from corrections officers. One inmate also named President Donald Trump as a reason for his actions.
“Everything that he did. All the things that he’s doing now. We know that the institution is going to change for the worse,” the male prisoner reportedly said.
The inmates demanded better rehabilitation and education programs in exchange for their cooperation. Authorities, however, said they have yet to determine a motive for the takeover.
