Authorities said all staff and inmates were accounted for after the hours-long takeover in Windsor.
WINDSOR, NC — Inmates overpowered correctional officers and seized parts of the Bertie-Martin Regional Detention Center early Monday, setting off a hostage standoff that ended after local, state and federal officers secured the jail, authorities said.
The takeover drew a large law enforcement response to the regional jail in Windsor, about 120 miles east of Raleigh. The facility serves Bertie and Martin counties and holds pretrial detainees and short-term inmates. Officials said 88 inmates and three correctional officers were inside when the incident began. Two officers were held hostage, one escaped and all staff and inmates were later accounted for. Authorities said injured people received medical treatment, but they did not immediately give full details on the injuries.
The incident began around 5 a.m. Monday, when inmates assaulted on-duty correctional officers and took control of parts of the building, according to state investigators. Bertie County Sheriff Tyrone Ruffin said at a morning news conference that the jail had been taken over and that two correctional officers were being held hostage. “Our top priority is the safety of our staff, inmates, and the surrounding community,” Ruffin said as officers worked outside the facility. Law enforcement negotiators spoke with inmates while tactical teams prepared to clear the jail. One correctional officer escaped shortly after the takeover began, officials said. By about 9:30 a.m., the two hostage officers had been safely released along with 18 inmates.
Authorities said another group of inmates came out about 20 minutes later as negotiations continued. By early afternoon, agents with the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation and the FBI had entered and cleared the facility. Most of the remaining inmates complied and left when officers made entry, officials said. The SBI said all inmates and staff were safe and accounted for after the jail was secured. Ruffin said the two released officers were taken for medical treatment, but officials did not release their names or give a full account of their injuries. Investigators also had not said whether officers used lethal or less-lethal force during the final entry. The cause of the takeover remained under investigation Monday, and officials did not say how inmates first gained control of secure areas.
The Bertie-Martin Regional Detention Center is a 90-bed jail that serves two rural counties in northeastern North Carolina. It is separate from Bertie Correctional Institution, a state prison also located in Windsor. The regional jail’s role is to hold people awaiting court proceedings and others serving short sentences. The takeover raised immediate questions about staffing, security systems and jail operations, but authorities had not released a detailed account of staffing levels beyond saying three correctional officers were inside with 88 inmates when the incident began. Gov. Josh Stein said the people responsible should be held accountable and also pointed to broader concerns about hiring, keeping and paying jail and prison staff. Officials said those questions would be reviewed as part of the investigation.
After the standoff ended, inmates were moved by bus to other detention facilities while investigators began assessing damage inside the jail. Law enforcement vehicles remained around the building as officers secured the scene. The SBI said the jail would remain secured while the damage review continued. No charges tied to the takeover had been announced by early Tuesday, and officials had not named any inmates suspected of leading the incident. Ruffin said investigators still had work to do before releasing more information about what started the takeover. “Right now we have a lot going on that we’re trying to get under control,” Ruffin said. He said more details would be released when officials could confirm them.
Families gathered near the jail during the response, waiting for word about people held inside. Some said they learned about the disturbance through phone calls from inmates or from reports of a large police presence. Mayala Mack, whose son was inside the jail, said her first concern was his safety. She said he called and described confusion inside the facility. Officers from several agencies staged near the building as negotiations unfolded and inmates were brought out in groups. Photos from the scene showed officers escorting inmates and transport buses parked outside the detention center. Authorities said there was no ongoing threat to the public after the facility was secured.
The jail remained under law enforcement control Tuesday as the SBI continued its investigation. Officials said the next steps include reviewing damage, interviewing people involved and determining whether criminal charges will be filed.
Author note: Last updated July 1, 2026.