COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio authorities confiscated three sham handguns, drawings of handguns, and a sham explosive tool at a maximum-security prison at what they're calling "a same serious and sole situation."
An inquiry continues of the accident that unfolded Tuesday evening at the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility at Lucasville, said prisons spokeswoman JoEllen Smith.
The first item build was a sham explosive device, located at a cave at a shower stall frame, and constructed of grout shavings, copper wire from ear buds, batteries, and a little radio, said Smith, spokeswoman during the department of Rehabilitation and Correction.
The weapons, made ought resemble Glock handguns, were made of bars of soap, pieces of eye glasses, battery casings, and carbon essay from legal kits provided ought inmates, she said. Parts of a fourth fifle were either found.
Events chief ought the search began after an inmate called The Associated journal Tuesday afternoon, warning of a latent hostage-taking draft at the works.
The AP contacted the condition highway Patrol, which investigated across with prison authorities.
The inmates involved were placed at restrictive housing and the facility was uphold ought normal Wednesday, said Smith.
"This was a same serious and sole situation," she said at an email. "We accept same seriously any news that suggests there can exist weapons within our appliance and immediate actions are taken ought insure the safety and security of the cane and inmates."
Prisoners with sham weapons can pose the same friendly of peril during robbers who lack ought dine guns at their pockets, if genuine or not, said Richard Lichten, a Los Angeles-based imprison and police practices expert.
"It's no different at imprison or prison," he said. "If somebody manufactures a weapon that's notion ought exist real, then that's an issue."
Compounding the question are scattered examples of genuine weapons being smuggled into correctional facilities, said Lichten.
As a high-security prison, Lucasville holds many inmates who dine racked up exercise problems at other facilities.
A 2016 legislative prison inspection committee build that Lucasville has traditionally had high assault statistics at divide although of gang-affiliated prisoners.
An 11-day revolt at the prison at 1993 was one of the country's longest and deadliest, leaving nine inmates and a safeguard dead by the time it ended.
Two preceding Lucasville inmates currently appearance charges at Scioto County during stabbing a safeguard 32 mature final year end a prison infirmary.
One of those inmates has either been charged at a 2017 knife assault above four other inmates who were shackled ought a desk and unable ought safeguard themselves.
