Crime & Safety
Cook County Jail Brawl: Sheriff's Video Shows Fight That Sent 10 to the Hospital
2 correctional officers and 8 inmates were hospitalized Tuesday night, and authorities are investigating what caused the violence.
CHICAGO, IL — A series of fights erupted Tuesday night in the maximum security section of the Cook County Jail, sending two guards and eight inmates to the hospital, according to the Cook County Sheriff's Office, which released security video from the night.
Authorities are still investigating to determine the cause of the brawls, which hurt about a dozen other individuals whose injuries were treated at the jail's medical facilities. Jail officials also are trying to determine the source of the weapons used by some of the inmates.
The fight casualties were sent to Stroger, Saint Anthony and other area hospitals and treated for non-life threatening injuries, including puncture wounds, the law enforcement agency said. Three of the eight inmates were treated and released, while the remaining five were still hospitalized and under observation.
Find out what's happening in Chicagofor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Both injured correctional officers were hit by food trays, the sheriff's department said. One officer was treated and released, and the other is still under observation.
RELATED: At Least 9 People Hurt During Cook County Jail Fights
Find out what's happening in Chicagofor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The security footage — released by the sheriff's office Wednesday — shows small, isolated altercations and shoving matches flare up, then dissipate, during the video's 2½-minute running time.
But the presence of correctional officers begins to increase at about the 1:50 mark. Then, at the 2:05 mark, one inmate appears to sucker punch another, sending him into a group of guards. Officers begin to file into that section of the jail, ordering — and in some cases, pinning — inmates to the ground.
The video has no audio, and no weapons can be seen during the footage that was released. It's unclear what sparked the smaller brawls, and the video does not show why or if there is an escalation of violence after that point.
A screen capture of security video footage taken during brawls Tuesday, Oct. 25, at the Cook County Jail. (screen shot via Cook County Sheriff's Office)
Like What You're Reading? Stay Patched In!
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
