4:33 p.m. August 19, 2005 SACRAMENTO – Inmates at the state prison in Calipatria remained locked in their cells Friday as investigations continued into a deadly riot that erupted in an exercise yard Thursday and spread to two buildings.
One inmate was killed during the uprising at the prison east of San Diego and 25 inmates and 25 guards were injured.
Just the one fatal round was fired, from a semiautomatic rifle, said Terry Thornton, a spokeswoman for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. But both inmates and guards used every other weapon at their disposal, Thornton said.
"In the buildings, the inmates were using broken broom handles and crutches and they were ramming the employees with laundry carts," Thornton said. Tower guards fired non-lethal weapons while other correctional officers used pepper spray and batons.
The slain inmate was identified as Richard Albert Zamora, 33, who was shot in the abdomen. Zamora had been serving an 18-year sentence for gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and had previous convictions for auto theft, attempted robbery and witness intimidation.
Another inmate was originally believed to have been shot in the head, but doctors determined he suffered only blows to the head. He was returned to the prison Friday.
Five inmates and 22 guards required hospital treatment.
Authorities said the fight began when a correctional officer was attacked by a member of the Southern Hispanic prison gang about 3 p.m. as he tried to search the inmate.
About 20 other gang members joined in the attack, prison officials said, and the officer suffered about five slash wounds to his head. He and another officer who was struck in the head were the most seriously injured.
More than 90 inmates were taken to segregation units as the investigation continued Friday. Other inmates remained locked in their cells.
The prison houses more than 4,000 inmates, more than 3,850 of whom are maximum security. The remainder are minimum security inmates who work around the prison and were not involved in Thursday's riot, officials said.