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Tuesday, Jan 13, 2026
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Three Inmates Killed and More Than a Dozen Hospitalised After Violent Brawl at Georgia’s Washington State Prison
Gang-linked altercation at medium-security facility in Davisboro leaves multiple inmates and a guard hurt as authorities launch investigation
Three inmates were killed and at least thirteen others were hospitalised, including a prison guard, after a violent brawl erupted on Sunday at Washington State Prison in Davisboro, Georgia, prompting an extensive lockdown and law enforcement response.
The incident began shortly after 1:25 p.m. on an outdoor walkway inside the medium-security facility, which houses up to 1,548 adult male inmates, according to the Georgia Department of Corrections.
Staff regained control of the situation within about ninety minutes by deploying non-lethal weapons and calling in support from local sheriff’s deputies and state troopers.
The department identified the three deceased inmates as Ahmod Dewayne Hatcher, twenty-three; Jimmy Lee Trammell, forty-two; and Teddy Dewayne Jackson, twenty-seven.
Trammell’s family said he was scheduled for release within days after serving nearly a decade in prison, a loss that has drawn particular attention to the human impact of violence behind bars.
The brawl spilled into a visiting area as injured inmates staggered into it, though no visitors were harmed and were evacuated to safety, authorities reported.
Sheriff Joel Cochran of Washington County said the outbreak involved multiple major fights among inmates and that the violence is believed to be gang-related, reflecting persistent security challenges within the state’s prison system.
Video shared online by prisoner advocates showed groups of inmates with improvised weapons running along a fenced walkway before corrections staff intervened.
Officials confirmed that one correctional officer was treated for non-life-threatening injuries at a local hospital.
The arresting authorities have launched an investigation into the causes and dynamics of the clash, which comes amid broader scrutiny of Georgia’s correctional facilities.
Chronic understaffing and rising incidents of violence have drawn concern from advocacy groups and federal observers in recent years, and this incident has reignited calls for systemic reforms to improve safety and oversight at prisons across the state.
The incident began shortly after 1:25 p.m. on an outdoor walkway inside the medium-security facility, which houses up to 1,548 adult male inmates, according to the Georgia Department of Corrections.
Staff regained control of the situation within about ninety minutes by deploying non-lethal weapons and calling in support from local sheriff’s deputies and state troopers.
The department identified the three deceased inmates as Ahmod Dewayne Hatcher, twenty-three; Jimmy Lee Trammell, forty-two; and Teddy Dewayne Jackson, twenty-seven.
Trammell’s family said he was scheduled for release within days after serving nearly a decade in prison, a loss that has drawn particular attention to the human impact of violence behind bars.
The brawl spilled into a visiting area as injured inmates staggered into it, though no visitors were harmed and were evacuated to safety, authorities reported.
Sheriff Joel Cochran of Washington County said the outbreak involved multiple major fights among inmates and that the violence is believed to be gang-related, reflecting persistent security challenges within the state’s prison system.
Video shared online by prisoner advocates showed groups of inmates with improvised weapons running along a fenced walkway before corrections staff intervened.
Officials confirmed that one correctional officer was treated for non-life-threatening injuries at a local hospital.
The arresting authorities have launched an investigation into the causes and dynamics of the clash, which comes amid broader scrutiny of Georgia’s correctional facilities.
Chronic understaffing and rising incidents of violence have drawn concern from advocacy groups and federal observers in recent years, and this incident has reignited calls for systemic reforms to improve safety and oversight at prisons across the state.
