Police: 19 Injured in Jail Race Riot

Nineteen inmates were injured Wednesday in a series of racially motivated brawls at a county jail where deadly rioting occurred just days ago, authorities said.

Four different fights involving more than 450 black and Hispanic inmates occurred at the Pitchess Detention Center in Castaic, about 40 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles, sheriff’s officials said.

Four inmates were transported to hospitals. Fifteen more were treated at the facility for minor injuries. No sheriff’s deputies were hurt.

The fighting began after inmates housed in a group dorm separated along racial lines. The violence was quickly put down, but similar fights occurred in little more than an hour at three more dorms, leading deputies to fire sting balls on inmates to gain control, said sheriff’s Sgt. Diane Hecht.

All seven of the county’s jails were placed on lockdown after the fights.

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