Hostages in Pecos

PECOS An unknown number of prisoners at the Reeves County Detention Center took two prison employees hostage Friday afternoon, Reeves County Sheriff's Sgt. Michael Estorga said.

The prisoners, using unknown weapons, took the two recreation specialists at the federal prison's recreation yard and set at least one fire in one of the buildings during a riot. It is still unknown if anyone was hurt or killed in the incident, Estorga said.

Officers on scene can see the hostages and prisoners through the fence of the medium- to low-level security prison's recreation yard, where they were being held at 8:30 p.m.

A call to the prison was answered by a woman who said they were not offering any comment. When asked for a supervisor, another woman at the prison, who did not identify herself, repeated that they were not commenting.

The Pecos Enterprise is reporting that Reeves County emergency officials were called to the prison, which is run by the Geo Group for the county.

Fire crews and additional law enforcement from the Department of Public Safety, border patrol and support from Midland and Odessa were called to the sprawling prison complex.

A Pecos Enterprise reporter who was near the prison said he spotted two groups of prisoners at the recreation yard. One was more than 100 in size while another was approximately 30. Guards formed a perimeter around the inmates, who were walking around the area. The emergency personnel were gathered near the yard's northern fence.

Estorga told the Odessa American that there was a death that took place Thursday in the prison, but he did not know if it had anything to do with Friday's rioting. The Pecos Enterprise also noted an ambulance came by there 7:30 a.m.

The Geo Group, based in Boca Raton, Fla., has run the jail through contracts with Reeves County and the Federal Bureau of Prisons since 2003. The prison holds more than 2,400 inmates.

The Associated Press, the Pecos Enterprise and OA staff writer Doug Carman contributed to this report.