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| Delaware Prison Standoff Ends With Correction Officer Dead | Delaware Prison Standoff Ends With Correction Officer Dead |
| (about 13 hours later) | |
| SMYRNA, Del. — As concern mounted about two workers held hostage inside a Delaware prison, law enforcement officers smashed a backhoe through the doors in predawn darkness on Thursday, retaking the building after an 18-hour standoff. Inside, they freed a prison counselor, but their fears were confirmed when they found a longtime corrections sergeant unresponsive. | SMYRNA, Del. — As concern mounted about two workers held hostage inside a Delaware prison, law enforcement officers smashed a backhoe through the doors in predawn darkness on Thursday, retaking the building after an 18-hour standoff. Inside, they freed a prison counselor, but their fears were confirmed when they found a longtime corrections sergeant unresponsive. |
| Twenty-three minutes after officers breached the building, the sergeant, Steven R. Floyd, 47, was pronounced dead. | Twenty-three minutes after officers breached the building, the sergeant, Steven R. Floyd, 47, was pronounced dead. |
| Geoff Klopp, president of the Correctional Officers Association of Delaware, said the takeover of Building C at the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center on Wednesday was no spontaneous outburst, but a planned act by inmates who had conducted “dry runs” of misbehavior to gauge how well officers could contain them. | Geoff Klopp, president of the Correctional Officers Association of Delaware, said the takeover of Building C at the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center on Wednesday was no spontaneous outburst, but a planned act by inmates who had conducted “dry runs” of misbehavior to gauge how well officers could contain them. |
| “The inmates practiced to see what our response was going to be,” Mr. Klopp said. | “The inmates practiced to see what our response was going to be,” Mr. Klopp said. |
| Inmates took four prison employees hostage on Wednesday morning, but freed two of them over the next several hours. The two who were released had broken bones, lacerations and bruises, Mr. Klopp said. | Inmates took four prison employees hostage on Wednesday morning, but freed two of them over the next several hours. The two who were released had broken bones, lacerations and bruises, Mr. Klopp said. |
| Neither state officials nor Mr. Klopp would address how Sergeant Floyd, a 16-year veteran of the department, had died, or why he might have been targeted. In fact, officials avoided saying explicitly that he had been killed by inmates, or when during the siege he was injured or died. | Neither state officials nor Mr. Klopp would address how Sergeant Floyd, a 16-year veteran of the department, had died, or why he might have been targeted. In fact, officials avoided saying explicitly that he had been killed by inmates, or when during the siege he was injured or died. |
| “At this time, I’m not able to give you a motive for the attack,” Robert Coupe, secretary of the Delaware Department of Safety and Homeland Security, said at a news conference. | “At this time, I’m not able to give you a motive for the attack,” Robert Coupe, secretary of the Delaware Department of Safety and Homeland Security, said at a news conference. |
| He said he could not describe the weapons used against the officers, but some inmates had sharpened instruments. An autopsy was planned for Sergeant Floyd. | He said he could not describe the weapons used against the officers, but some inmates had sharpened instruments. An autopsy was planned for Sergeant Floyd. |
| The officials were visibly shaken, pausing several times to compose themselves as they spoke. “My prayers all day yesterday was that this event would end with a different result,” said Gov. John C. Carney Jr. | The officials were visibly shaken, pausing several times to compose themselves as they spoke. “My prayers all day yesterday was that this event would end with a different result,” said Gov. John C. Carney Jr. |
| The first word of the crisis came around 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, when an officer — possibly Sergeant Floyd — reported it on his radio. Speaking at a separate news conference, Mr. Klopp, fighting back tears, said the sergeant was pushed into a closet, and from there somehow warned other officers to stay away. | The first word of the crisis came around 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, when an officer — possibly Sergeant Floyd — reported it on his radio. Speaking at a separate news conference, Mr. Klopp, fighting back tears, said the sergeant was pushed into a closet, and from there somehow warned other officers to stay away. |
| “Even in his last moments, as the inmates attempted to take over the building, Sergeant Floyd told a couple of the lieutenants to get out of the building, and it was a trap,” he said. | “Even in his last moments, as the inmates attempted to take over the building, Sergeant Floyd told a couple of the lieutenants to get out of the building, and it was a trap,” he said. |
| To save money, the state has relied on officers working overtime, rather than filling 90 vacant positions — a point of contention with the officers’ union. “Sergeant Floyd’s death is due directly to staffing issues,” Mr. Klopp said. | To save money, the state has relied on officers working overtime, rather than filling 90 vacant positions — a point of contention with the officers’ union. “Sergeant Floyd’s death is due directly to staffing issues,” Mr. Klopp said. |
| State officials said they would look into prison staffing, but declined to respond to Mr. Klopp’s charge that the issue was to blame for the sergeant’s death. | |
| Officials said that until they knew more about what had happened, they were treating all 120 inmates who were in the building at the time as suspects. The prison, which is near Smyrna, between Wilmington and Dover, houses 2,500 inmates over all. | Officials said that until they knew more about what had happened, they were treating all 120 inmates who were in the building at the time as suspects. The prison, which is near Smyrna, between Wilmington and Dover, houses 2,500 inmates over all. |
| For hours, law enforcement officials negotiated with the inmates, who stalled for time. | For hours, law enforcement officials negotiated with the inmates, who stalled for time. |
| “We had turned on the water as one of their demands,” Mr. Coupe said. The inmates filled metal footlockers with water, and used them to barricade the doors. | “We had turned on the water as one of their demands,” Mr. Coupe said. The inmates filled metal footlockers with water, and used them to barricade the doors. |
| At first, officials thought that five employees had been taken hostage, but one who was hiding in another part of the building, unknown to the inmates, was able to escape. Besides that employee, said the correction commissioner, Perry Phelps, “three maintenance workers that were hiding in the basement that the inmates didn’t know about were able to make their way up from the basement to the roof.” A tactical team rescued them, he said. | At first, officials thought that five employees had been taken hostage, but one who was hiding in another part of the building, unknown to the inmates, was able to escape. Besides that employee, said the correction commissioner, Perry Phelps, “three maintenance workers that were hiding in the basement that the inmates didn’t know about were able to make their way up from the basement to the roof.” A tactical team rescued them, he said. |
| On Wednesday, 46 inmates left the building and surrendered outside; by early Thursday, there were 74 inmates and two hostages left inside. The inmates who surrendered provided officials with information about the barricades and the locations of hostages, Mr. Coupe said. | On Wednesday, 46 inmates left the building and surrendered outside; by early Thursday, there were 74 inmates and two hostages left inside. The inmates who surrendered provided officials with information about the barricades and the locations of hostages, Mr. Coupe said. |
| During the standoff, inmates called The News Journal of Wilmington and had a hostage state their grievances, including mistreatment and a lack of education and rehabilitation opportunities. | During the standoff, inmates called The News Journal of Wilmington and had a hostage state their grievances, including mistreatment and a lack of education and rehabilitation opportunities. |
| Mr. Coupe said the decision to storm the building on Thursday was made partly out of concern for Sergeant Floyd, whom they had not heard from since the siege began. | Mr. Coupe said the decision to storm the building on Thursday was made partly out of concern for Sergeant Floyd, whom they had not heard from since the siege began. |
| Officials knew that the other hostage held overnight, a counselor, was alive because the inmates had used her to communicate their demands. But the authorities were mindful that in 2004 a Delaware inmate took a female counselor prisoner, raped her and threatened to kill her before he was shot to death by an officer. | Officials knew that the other hostage held overnight, a counselor, was alive because the inmates had used her to communicate their demands. But the authorities were mindful that in 2004 a Delaware inmate took a female counselor prisoner, raped her and threatened to kill her before he was shot to death by an officer. |
| Mr. Coupe said of the woman held at Vaughn, “We are happy to say that she was not injured in this ordeal, and I would go so far to say that there were actually inmates who shielded this victim and ensured her safety.” He did not elaborate. | Mr. Coupe said of the woman held at Vaughn, “We are happy to say that she was not injured in this ordeal, and I would go so far to say that there were actually inmates who shielded this victim and ensured her safety.” He did not elaborate. |
| Officials considered trying to borrow an armored vehicle to get into the building, but they decided not to wait. At 5:06 a.m., officers of the Delaware State Police, the Correction Department and the Maryland State Police used the backhoe to breach the building. By 5:32, the building was fully secured. | Officials considered trying to borrow an armored vehicle to get into the building, but they decided not to wait. At 5:06 a.m., officers of the Delaware State Police, the Correction Department and the Maryland State Police used the backhoe to breach the building. By 5:32, the building was fully secured. |
| The building, with three wings linked by a central hub, houses inmates who are either making the transition from lower-security units to maximum security, or going in the other direction. | The building, with three wings linked by a central hub, houses inmates who are either making the transition from lower-security units to maximum security, or going in the other direction. |
| “We have to investigate what happened here, determine the facts, to make sure that it never happens again,” Mr. Carney said. “The best way that we can honor Sgt. Steven Floyd is to do this work diligently, together and expeditiously.” | “We have to investigate what happened here, determine the facts, to make sure that it never happens again,” Mr. Carney said. “The best way that we can honor Sgt. Steven Floyd is to do this work diligently, together and expeditiously.” |