Atwater prison staffer fires shot during prison brawl

Altercations Wednesday at United States Penitentiary Atwater involving several inmates ended after a prison staff member fired “a warning shot,” authorities said.

USP Atwater officials issued a brief statement Thursday saying two altercations occurred and they were “related.” The incidents resulted in minor injuries to several inmates who were treated at the prison, spokeswoman Kristi Rodriguez said in the statement.

Further details regarding the shot fired by authorities were not available Thursday morning.

Rodriguez did not return repeated phones calls and emails seeking additional information.

No staff members were injured and the public was never in danger, Rodriguez said.

Authorities did not comment on what may have prompted the violence or how many inmates were involved.

The prison remained on a security lockdown Thursday, according to the news release.

This story was originally published April 30, 2015 at 9:18 AM with the headline "Atwater prison staffer fires shot during prison brawl."