A guard was abducted Tuesday by inmates at a downtown St. Louis jail, but was freed hours later after a police SWAT team intervened.
Officials with the St. Louis Department of Public Safety told the Associated Press the 70-year-old guard was abducted by two inmates while serving breakfast shortly after 6 a.m. Tuesday. Other inmates eventually joined in, but authorities weren’t sure how many, they said at a news conference. Surveillance footage is being reviewed.
A police SWAT team was called in shortly after 8 a.m., and the guard was freed within minutes.
Interim Public Safety Director Chris Coyle said “less-than-lethal ammunition” was used on the inmates, but he did not elaborate. Coyle said two inmates suffered minor injuries inflicted by other inmates during the hostage situation.
