Three Wallens Ridge corrections officers suffered knife wounds in an attack by inmates linked to the MS-13 gang, according to the Virginia Department of Corrections (VDOC).
Newsweek contacted the VDOC for comment on Saturday via online inquiry form.
What To Know
The attack took place at around 9:45 a.m. Friday and involved six inmates, of which five were MS-13 members from El Salvador who had entered the United States illegally, the VDOC said. They had been convicted of a range of crimes including first and second degree murder, aggravated murder and rape.
The sixth individual participating in the attack was an American confirmed MS-13 gang member serving a sentence for second degree murder, said authorities.
In addition to the three officers who were stabbed, two corrections officers suffered minor wounds responding to the attack. All five were taken away for medical treatment.
Both officers who were lightly injured have since been discharged while two of those stabbed remain in hospital in a stable condition.
What Is the MS-13 Gang?
MS-13, or Mara Salvatrucha, is a violent transnational criminal gang that originated in Los Angeles, California, in the 1980s. It was initially formed by Salvadoran immigrants who had fled their country’s civil war. Over time, MS-13 expanded throughout Central America (especially El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala) and across various parts of the United States and Mexico.
President Donald Trump designated M3-13 as a foreign terrorist organization shortly after his second presidential inauguration in January 2025.
In March the Mexican government said it had seized Francisco Javier Roman-Bardales, an alleged MS-13 gang leader who featured on the FBI‘s Top Ten Most Wanted list. Roman-Bardales, aged 47, was arrested for a range of offenses including acts of violence toward civilians and rival gang members.
The following month the Department of Justice offered a $5 million reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of Yulan Andony Archaga Carías, who is alleged to be the leader of MS-13 in Honduras.
What People Are Saying
In a statement VDOC Director Chad Dotson said: “Five of the individuals responsible for this senseless attack should never have been in this country in the first place.
“Every single day, our officers put their lives on the line to ensure public safety for the more than 8.8 million people across the Commonwealth. This attack is an example of the dangers they face when they show up to work every day. Our officers are heroes, and I commend the team at Wallens Ridge for their swift response.”
What Happens Next
Friday’s attack will likely increase support for the Trump administration’s efforts to crack down on illegal immigration and transnational criminal gangs such as MS-13. However it is unclear how effective these operations will be.
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