Authorities regain control of North Carolina jail after inmates take two guards hostage

U.S. newsAuthorities regain control of North Carolina jail after inmates take two guards hostageInjuries were described as minor following the takeover of the Bertie-Martin Regional Jail in Eastern North Carolina. Negotiators secured the release of the guards.Listen to this article with a free profile00:0000:00ShareAdd NBC News to GoogleJune 29, 2026, 8:47 PM EDTBy Dennis RomeroAn inmate takeover of a North Carolina jail was resolved Monday after the negotiated release of two guards who were taken hostage and the transfer of all its inmates, authorities said.Limited time: Save 25% on NBC News subscriptionGet exclusive reporting, live Q&As and ad-free reading.The takeover at the Bertie-Martin Regional Detention Center in Eastern North Carolina started about 5 a.m. and ended about 2 p.m., with some inmates and staff members treated for unspecified injuries, according to state and local authorities.“I am relieved to report that the situation concluded safely around 2 o’clock p.m. today with minimal injuries,” Bertie County Sheriff Tyrone M. Ruffin said at a news conference Monday afternoon.One of three guards at the 88-inmate facility was able to escape after the takeover began, while two others were taken hostage, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation said in a statement.“The inmates inside the detention center assaulted on-duty guards and gained control of portions of the building,” it said.Between 9:30 a.m. and 10 a.m., negotiators secured the release of the guards and two groups of inmates, one including 18 people, and the other described by the bureau as a “large group.”Shortly before 11 a.m., the bureau announced that the siege had ended with the help of the FBI and that all inmates and staff members were “safe and accounted for.”Ruffin said guards who may have been injured were “OK” following the conclusion.The facility, described by the sheriff as a regional jail run by an independent agency, has been essentially closed as damage is assessed, the...