Inmate Is Shot to Death by Guard Attempting to Break Up a Fight

SAN DIEGO —  An inmate at Donovan State Prison was shot to death by a guard Friday as guards sought to break up a fight among the inmates.

Guards first fired wooden missiles in an attempt to stun the combatants, but when two inmates continued fighting, a guard fired a single shot, hitting the 23-year-old in the head, according to a prison spokeswoman. The name of the dead man was not released. A prison spokesman said that guards believed that one of the men involved in the fight had a knife.

The fight took place in an exercise yard restricted to prisoners who are being punished for breaking prison rules. No cause was given for the fight.

This is the second fatal shooting at the 4,500-prisoner medium-security prison in Otay Mesa, near the Mexican border. The first came shortly after the prison opened in 1987. After Friday’s shooting, prisoners were locked in their cells as an investigation was begun by the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department.