POLICE Logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

San Quentin Prison Riot Injures 42

A fight broke out last week at California’s San Quentin State Prison and escalated into a full-scale riot that involved as many as 80 inmates and injured 42. Not since 1982 have so many prisoners been involved in a riot at San Quentin.

August 16, 2005
1 min to read


A fight broke out last week at California’s San Quentin State Prison and escalated into a full-scale riot that involved as many as 80 inmates and injured 42. Not since 1982 have so many prisoners been involved in a riot at San Quentin.

Authorities have not yet determined what specifically precipitated the fight, but it came after a long-running dispute between white and Hispanic prisoners in the 900-inmate minimum-security unit, according to prison officials. Inmates from other buildings also became involved in the fracas before it was over.

Ad Loading...

The riot lasted about six minutes before about 50 officers were able to stop it using batons and CS.

After the incident, the entire prison was put on lockdown. Officers separated the groups of inmates and put them in plastic handcuffs to safely search for weapons. Five weapons were discovered in the unit, including socks filled with bars of soap, a razor, and a make-shift weapon fashioned from a pen and a metal tip.

Of the 42 inmates injured, three were taken to area hospitals to treat serious injuries.

The last large riot at San Quentin occurred in 1982 and involved 1,000 men.

Ad Loading...

More Weapons

side view of a police handgun with engraving for West Virginia State Police
WeaponsNovember 25, 2025

Shadow Systems Selected as Exclusive Pistol Provider for West Virginia State Police

Shadow Systems will provide 700 XR920 crossover pistols for West Virginia State Police troopers and 80 CR920X high-capacity subcompact pistols for the Bureau of Criminal Investigation.

Read More →
patrolfinder - reducing crime thumbnail
SponsoredOctober 27, 2025

How One Police Department Cut Crime by 46% with Smarter Patrol Management

Discover how one police department cut crime nearly in half using smarter patrol data. This whitepaper breaks down the real-world strategy behind a 46% drop in vehicle thefts, improved officer safety, and stronger community visibility.

Read More →
Aimpoint 50th Anniversary Logo - Black Shield with White and Red Design
WeaponsSeptember 12, 2025

Aimpoint Celebrates 50 Years of Innovation and Excellence in Sighting Technology

Aimpoint is marking its 50th anniversary in 2025, celebrating five decades of red dot innovation trusted by military, law enforcement, and tactical professionals worldwide.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
WeaponsMay 1, 2025

Streamlight Introduces Long-Range Handgun Light

“Our newest weapon light provides an industry-leading level of candela for handguns, giving users enhanced visibility under low light conditions, such as when searching a dark alley,” said Streamlight President Michael F. Dineen.

Read More →
WeaponsMarch 26, 2025

Georgia Sheriff Warns Criminals They Face Felony Charges for Having Glock Switches

This device by itself, regardless if it is installed on a slide or not, is classified by the ATF to be a machine gun, which is illegal to possess,” the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office said.

Read More →
WeaponsMarch 26, 2025

NYPD Building Quieter Training Range

The police department says the largely enclosed new facility will reduce the noise from the shooting range, also used by bomb squad trainees and Correction officers, which has been active since 1960.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
WeaponsMarch 25, 2025

Bills to Let Officers and LE Retirees Carry in No-Gun Zones Reintroduced in Congress

The legislation would permit LEOSA-qualified officers and law enforcement retirees to carry in state, local, and private property otherwise open to the public; national parks; certain federal public access facilities; and school zones.

Read More →
PatrolMarch 12, 2025

The POLICE Pistol Optics Survey

The survey of working officers shows that police have embraced handgun optics with great enthusiasm. Of the officers who completed our entire survey, 77% said their agencies allow them to use handgun optics on duty.

Read More →
PatrolFebruary 12, 2025

Seattle City Council Votes to Reauthorize Police Use of Less-Lethal Weapons During Riots

The new ordinance allows police to use non-lethal weapons such as blast balls and pepper spray but requires those methods to be approved by the chief of police.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
WeaponsJanuary 24, 2025

SHOT SHOW 2025: Mossberg Releases 590M Breacher Professional Series

The design of the 590M provides balance and weight distribution and increased capacity while also allowing for the more compact conditions often required for breaching.

Read More →