Two inmates have been killed and US federal prisons placed on lockdown after a mass brawl at a Texas jail.
Prison staff broke up a fight at United States Penitentiary Beaumont, in Beaumont, and two people who were taken to hospital later died.
Guillermo Riojas and Andrew Pineda had life-threatening injuries and died in hospital, reported Kfdm.com
Two other inmates were also taken to hospital and they are receiving treatment after the clashes around 11.30am local time on Monday.
It has led to a nationwide lockdown and is a further example of violence in the federal Bureau of Prisons.
USP Beaumont is a high security prison, around 90 miles east of Houston, holding 1,372 male offenders.
No staff were injured in the clashes, it is reported.
Riojas, 54, had been at the Beaumont prison since May, 2013 having been sentenced in the Eastern District of California to a 456-month for carjacking and interference with interstate commerce, said Kfdm.com.
Pineda, 34, who also died, went to the prison in February last year. He was sentenced in the Central District of California to 78 months for racketeer influenced and corrupt organizations conspiracy.
A lockdown is in place and is believed to be out of a fear of retaliation and violence at the other federal prisons in the US.
The Bureau of Prisons has been criticised due to numerous problems over the past few years including escapes and deaths. There have also been claims of employee misconduct and staff shortages.
Still the use of federal prison lockdowns is not common and has been rarely used. It was put in place in recent years such as for the Covid crisis in April, 2020, and on January 6, last year after the US Capitol riot.
Inmates are made to stay in their cells in a lockdown with visits not allowed - but due to Covid most visiting has already been stopped at federal prisons.
The Bureau of Prisons has tweeted how it has stepped up its vaccine programme and with over 200,000 shots given.
