Prison Watchdog Questions Tuesday Night Cook County Prison Fight Video
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A huge jail fight, all caught on camera.
After taking a look at video of the brawl that left some stabbed and battered Tuesday night at a maximum security facility, CBS 2's Audrina Bigos takes a look atg the video with watchdogs.
This is almost like after dinner activity. And it was shortly after dinner in maximum security unit of the Cook County Jail Tuesday night that an argument between these inmates quickly turned to more.
A man removed his shirt and started throwing punches.
More join in, more shirts come off and more fists fly, as the men start moving towards the other side of the room.
Related: Cook County Wants Answers To Jail Brawl
The brawl happened for "less than a minute and everyone is dispersing," Jennifer Vollen-Katz, who leads a local prison watchdog group John Howard Association of Illinois says. She watched the video as things calmed down in the living unit, before correctional officers entered the room. Then, one grabs a food tray before he's tackled by an officer.
"Because of their swift efforts, we were able to contain in pretty quickly. It was more than 100 officers responding," said Nneka Jones Tapia, executive director of the Cook County Jail.
"It seems like a lot of correctional officers for the activity we saw before they entered this tier," Vollen-Katz says.
Jail officials say more than 100 inmates were involved, but they're not seen in the video.
"It leaves me wondering, is this the full scope of the video? Was there a separate incident? What is it that we're missing," Vollen-Katz asks.
CBS 2 was told that fights erupted in three separate living units, another detail not seen on the video.
The brawl sent 10 people including two correctional officers to the hospital. Five inmates remain in the hospital.
Dozens could be punished once jail officials find out who the instigators were.
The videos are currently being looked at and instigators will be punished. The investigation into the altercations, as well as the source of the weapons used, is ongoing.
