Hostages taken in Smyrna prison, prompting statewide lockdown

Two hostages remain at a Smyrna prison where an unknown number of prisoners took control of a building Feb. 1.  At 7 a.m., Feb. 2, CBS video footage showed about 40 prisoners lying on their stomach in a courtyard surrounded by guards. Prisoners were led away while the camera rolled and the courtyard was cleared.

There has been no official statement since a press conference at about 8 p.m. Feb. 1 at the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center.

“Our focus has been on our correctional employees,” said Delaware Gov. John Carney last night.

Former Department of Correction Commissioner Robert Coupe, who now heads the Department of Safety and Homeland Security, said four prison employees were taken custody at about 10:30 a.m. – a correction from an initial report released by Delaware State Police. Police previously said there were five employees held hostage.

One employee was released at about 2:40 p.m. and taken to an area hospital for nonlife-threatening injuries. A second employee was released prior to the 8 p.m. press conference; the employees condition was unknown at this time.

In addition to the employees, Coupe said eight prisoners were released at about 5:20 p.m. from the C building where the hostages were held. Another 19 prisoners were released at about 8 p.m. when the second hostage was released, Coupe said. Overnight at 12:30 a.m., another 14 prisoners were released. There are now 82 prisoners held along with two employees.

Vaughn’s C building houses medium and high risk prisoners.

Coupe said he did not know whether prisoners were held against their will or decided to leave on their own.

Recently appointed Department of Corrections Commissioner Perry Phelps said officials are analyzing staffing numbers, but he would not say whether the prison was understaffed at the time hostages were taken.

“We are constantly recruiting to fill our vacancies,” he said, without saying how many prison positions are vacant.

Perry also would not comment on whether Vaughn center is overcrowded with prisoners.

Coupe said he was aware of a phone call placed to a Wilmington newspaper reportedly by a prisoner who listed demands by the hostage takers. Coupe said he did not know how many prisoners were holding hostages.

In a Twitter thread called #Vaughnrebellion, one post listed the following reasons hostages were taken:

“We’re trying to explain the reasons is for doing what we’re doing. Donald Trump. Everything that he did. All the things that he’s doing now. We know that the institution is going to change for the worse. We got demands that you need to pay attention to, that you need to listen to and you need to let them know. Education, we want education first and foremost. We want a rehabilitation program that works for everybody. We want the money to be allocated so we can know exactly what is going on in the prison, the budget.”

Coupe would not comment on those conditions or prisoner motives.

“Once the matter is resolved, that will be the time to talk about conditions,” he said. “I can’t speculate what the motives are.” 

All Delaware prisons were placed on lockdown after a report of hostages at Vaughn center.

Delaware State Police, Department of Correction officials and FBI agents are working with area fire fighters and paramedics as hostage negotiations continue, said Sgt. Richard Bratz.

Kent County Department of Public Safety, Hartly Fire Company and Smyrna's Citizens' Hose Company were among the first on the scene. Fire company run logs show crews responded to structure-high life hazard incidents at 10:55 a.m. and 12:58 p.m. at the correctional center on Paddock Road.

Rep. Steve Smyk, R-Milton, a member of the corrections committee for the House of Representatives, said hostages were held in the prison’s C building, which houses medium- and high-security prisoners.

Smyk said committee members are aware there has been an increase in assaults at Vaughn center and a decrease in funding for prison guards.

“This could’ve been avoided, and it makes me sick,” he said. “I want to make sure our new governor makes this a priority.” 

Vaughn center is Delaware’s largest correctional facility for men with about 2,500 inmates. The facility opened in 1971 and houses minimum, medium, and maximum security inmates, and inmates on death row. It also houses Kent County detainees awaiting trial.

In 2004, a prison counselor was raped and held hostage at Vaughn by a man serving a nearly 700-year sentence. The prisoner, Scott Miller, was shot and killed after a 6 1/2 hour standoff.