5 prison inmates hospitalized after fight in Gunnison facility; Utah prisons on lockdown

A large prison fight at the Central Utah Correctional Facility on Monday night sent five inmates to the hospital and put two state prisons on lockdown.

A news release from the Utah Department of Corrections said there were 15 people involved in the altercation in the Gunnison facility. A preliminary investigation indicated the fight may have been gang-related.

Weapons were involved in the fight, and five individuals were taken to a local hospital to be treated; the extent of their injuries was not disclosed. The identities of those involved are not being released, the department said.

The Utah Department of Corrections initiated a temporary lockdown at the facility in Gunnison and at the Utah State Correctional Facility in Salt Lake City "to ensure the safety and security of everyone involved." During a lockdown, inmates are restricted to their assigned cells and dormitories.

The investigation into the incident is ongoing.