Oklahoma Prisons Remain On Lockdown Indefinitely

Every prison facility across Oklahoma is on lock-down for a third day, after gang-related fights at six facilities broke out.

Read Related: ODOC: 1 Inmate Dead, Prisons Locked Down Statewide Due To Several Inmate Fights 

Out of the 36 inmates who were sent to the hospital after those fights, eight of them are still in the hospital. The agency has also identified the one inmate who died during this gang-related incident as 27 year old Chad Burns.

Burns was serving a 15 year prison sentence at the Dick Conner Corrections Center for first degree burglary, robbery, assault and gun possession convictions out of Tulsa county. Investigators have not said how he died.

The DOC believes the fights Saturday and Sunday started  because of a dispute between two prison gangs. They also believe there were racial tensions involved. 

"Locking down the entire state was a decision we made to keep inmates and our staff safe," said Interim Director of the Department of Corrections Scott Crow. "We were faced with a dangerous situation that was rapidly spreading across the state."

The agency said investigators have seized cell phones, drugs and even weapons from the prisons, since the lock down began. The DOC said all prisons will remain on lock-down indefinitely, that means all inmates have to stay in their cells.

All inmate visits have also been canceled until further notice.

See Also: DOC Prisons Across Okla. On Lockdown After Multiple Fights