Gov. Baker: No 'Drawing Conclusions' On Bristol ICE Incident

NORTH DARTMOUTH, MA — Gov. Charlie Baker urged not "drawing conclusions one way or the other" amid the back-and-forth allegations of what transpired during an altercation at the C. Carlos Carreiro Immigration Detention Center Friday night.

Baker said during his Monday new coronavirus news conference that investigating the incident is on his "to-do list." Bristol County Sheriff Thomas Hodgson said Friday night that 10 ICE detainees rushed he and his officers after they complained of COVID-19 symptoms, then refused testing.

"I've not spoken to anyone about this particular issue," Baker said. "It's one of those items that is on the to-do list for (Monday). What I would say is that it's a whole series of back-and-forths going on in respect to what happened there."

Hodgson issued a statement Friday night saying that he was called to respond to the group of detainees who claimed multiple COVID-19 symptoms, but refused to be tested in the medical unit. After being informed testing was mandatory for those who were suffering symptoms, Hodgson said the detainees rushed the officers.

"The detainees refused to comply, became combatant and ultimately put the lives of themselves and many other Bristol County officers at risk with their reckless actions," Hodgson's statement said.

The statement said the detainees barricaded themselves in the unit, ripped pipes from the walls and damaged washing machines, causing "excessive" damage in the thousands of dollars.

But U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, U.S. Rep Joe Kennedy and the ACLU were among those calling for an independent investigation of the immigration detention facility this weekend.

The Boston Immigration Justice Accompaniment Network was among those saying detainees reporting they were attacked by Hodgson himself and only wanted to be treated for symptoms in their own unit.

"All people held at this facility deserve to be treated with humanity and dignity," Kennedy tweeted, calling for an independent investigation.

"I'm concerned by yesterday's incident at the Bristol County House of Correction, & the conflicting accounts," Warren tweeted.

Hodgson said no officers were injured in the incident and that detainees were moved to single cells pending disciplinary action and COVID-19 testing.

"We've run into this situation in a lot of places where we've run into people you would think would be conscious of this stuff and would want to be tested (but don't)," Baker said. "We've had to discipline some people."

Staff Editor Mike Carraggi contributed to this report.

Related Patch Coverage: Detainees Refused Coronavirus Treatment, Rushed Officers: Sheriff

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