Partial lockdown at B.C. maximum security prison after inmate assault

The Kent Institution in Agassiz, B.C., is seen in an image from Google Satellite View.

Vancouver — A maximum security prison in B.C.'s Fraser Valley was placed on a partial lockdown this week after what the Correctional Service of Canada calls "an inmate assault incident."

The lockdown began at 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 3, according to a Friday news release from the correctional service.

"Some areas of the institution have been placed under lockdown following the incident to allow a review of the situation, to assess the risk and to ensure the safety and security of the institution, its staff and inmates," the release reads. "Normal operations will resume as soon as it is considered safe to do so."

Inmates who required medical attention were taken to hospital after the incident, according to the correctional service, which says officers from the Agassiz detachment of the RCMP are investigating.

CTV News Vancouver has reached out to both the Correctional Service of Canada and the Agassiz RCMP for more information about the incident. This story will be updated if a response is received.

Last week, a lockdown was put in place at Mission Institution, a medium security federal prison also located in the Fraser Valley. That lockdown was implemented to allow corrections officers to conduct "an exceptional search" for contraband.

On Tuesday, a spokesperson for the correctional service told CTV News the Mission lockdown was still in progress, and that the service would issue another news release when it ended. As of Saturday, no such release had been issued.