BEAUMONT, Texas — Federal prisons nationwide are still on lockdown on Tuesday after a deadly attack at the Beaumont maximum security facility on Monday.
According to the Federal Bureau of Prisons, on Monday around 11:30 a.m. multiple inmates were seen fighting.
Two inmates were taken to the hospital and later died as a result of their injuries. And two more were hurt in that fight.
The Associated Press said the fight involved members of the violent MS-13 street gang. No staff members were hurt.
One of those inmates who died was 54-year-old, Guillermo Riojas. He was sentenced to 38 years for carjacking and interference with interstate commerce. Riojas had been in Beaumont since May of 2013.
34-year-old Andrew Pineda also died. He was sentenced to six and a half years for racketeering and conspiracy. Pineda had been in Beaumont only a year.
A nationwide lockdown of federal prisons started because of what happened at the United States Penitentiary in Beaumont on Monday.
The fight has alarmed people who have loved ones behind bars at the Beaumont prison.
But according to one mom, whose son is serving time at this same facility, the violence isn't limited to prison gangs.
Shyer Maguire said her son, who was in the medium-security facility, was attacked and stabbed 13 times at the beginning of December.
12News has requested information about any previous incidents at the federal prison complex. A spokesperson for the prison has not yet responded to our request.
"He wrote that it's like walking on a tightrope over a sea of bloody alligators," Maguire said. "And he said it's because they're at war with the guards and at war with each other."
He said violence is a reality of everyday life for inmates.
"I got a phone call from another inmate’s parent that said, 'I thought you might want to be informed that your son was stabbed,'" said Shyer Maguire.
She got that call Tuesday, December 7, 2021.
"I had no idea whether he was dead or alive…” Maguire said. "So, Wednesday, I packed it up and started driving. I got to Beaumont on Thursday evening."
She drove from Florida to Texas not knowing her son's condition and she never had an official response.
"It was the guard gate who said, ‘Well, did you hear from the chaplain?’ And I said ‘no.’ And he said, ‘Oh, well then, he's alive because if he's dead, the chaplain calls you,’” Maguire said.
Violence is a known issue in prisons, but since 2001, the number of prison homicides skyrocketed from 39 to 120 in 2018, according to the Bureau of Justice statistics.
Could the increase in violence be attributed to the prison population growth? The prison policy initiative says no.
The net change in the prison population during that time was a 1 percent increase while the net change in prison deaths was a 44 percent increase.
And as the prison population increases, Maguire said we all have a stake in this because it's your tax dollars that pay to house offenders.
"As taxpayers. We are all spending, on average $40,000 a year to incarcerate for each inmate…” Maguire said. "So, it's pretty sad."
Maguire has dedicated her life to advocating for prison reform.
In a statement, the Federal Correctional Officers' Union also called for action to ensure prisons are adequately staffed so they can better protect the inmates as well as the guards.
Congressman Randy Weber released a response Tuesday in wake of Monday’s deadly fight.
He said he is quote "deeply troubled" by the incident and notes that staffing shortages across the federal system are contributing to dangerous working conditions for correctional officers.
Read his full statement here…
"I am deeply troubled by the loss of life that occurred yesterday, January 31, 2022, at the United States Penitentiary, Beaumont. While we await more information from officials at the facility and the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), our office has also offered assistance. I am thankful that no Correctional Officers were harmed during yesterday’s incident. I am also thankful that these officers put their lives on the line, every day, for work that must be done.
"While instances of prison violence are not always avoidable, staffing shortages across the federal system—and especially at the Federal Correctional Center (FCC) in Beaumont—contribute to dangerous working conditions that endanger the lives of guards and inmates alike. As a member of the BOP Reform Caucus, I have worked to address staffing shortages by introducing H.R. 5761, the Pay Our Correctional Officers Fairly Act. When this bill is signed into law, it will make wages more competitive for BOP employees at FCC Beaumont and throughout the nation.
"Additionally, I was joined by Reps. Clay Higgins (R-LA) and Brian Babin (R-TX) in sending a letter to BOP Director Michael Carvajal on September 29, 2021, addressing the staffing issues at FCC Beaumont. To date, I have not received a response from Director Carvajal.
"If the underlying issues that plague the BOP are not addressed, I am afraid that we will continue to see instances of violence throughout the federal prison system. I will continue to work with my colleagues on the BOP Reform Caucus to address these concerns, and I call on Director Carvajal to fulfill his duty as Director of the BOP to take immediate action to secure our prisons and to work with Congress to solve the staffing problems."