Santa Clarita / Antelope Valley : Probe of Latest Racial Fight Continues at Pitchess Jail

CASTAIC — Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies on Thursday continued to investigate a brawl between African American and Latino inmates at the Peter Pitchess jail in Castaic that left 21 prisoners injured, including two who were hospitalized with serious stab wounds.

The two inmates who were stabbed in the chest during Wednesday night’s fight were in serious condition, although the wounds did not appear to be life threatening, said sheriff’s Deputy Diane Hecht.

Other prisoners suffered less serious cuts and abrasions, some requiring stitches, Hecht said.

The melee broke out about 9 p.m. Wednesday in the East Facility of the Peter J. Pitchess Honor Rancho, when 140 inmates in one dormitory divided along ethnic lines and began fighting with prison-made knives and ceramic shards of broken toilets, Hecht said.

Fifteen deputies used “sting ball” grenades and rubber bullets to quell the fight, which lasted about 15 minutes, Hecht said.

No deputies were injured in the brawl.

“We have not identified any of the instigators,” said Lt. Drew Basey, watch commander of the East Facility. “(The inmates) don’t speak very freely after these things.”

Basey said some family members of the inmates called after news reports of the disturbance reached them, but only relatives of injured prisoners were given any information on the fight.

“We are aware that they have concerns, but we have to limit the information given out,” Basey said.

The brawl was the latest of a series of fights at the jail between Latino and African American inmates.