At approximately 2:30 p.m., Thursday, July 21, several inmates engaged in a series of fights on a recreation yard at Eastern Oregon Correctional Institution (EOCI). The inmates refused verbal directives to stop fighting, at which time staff administered pepper spray. The inmates continued fighting and a warning shot was fired into a designated safe area. Upon the warning shot, the inmates stopped fighting. A total of 47 inmates were placed in special housing for their involvement in the altercations. There were no injuries reported. The institution remains on full lockdown, and visiting is canceled until further notice. An ongoing investigation is being conducted to determine the cause of the incident.
