GOODYEAR, Ariz. — Dozens of inmates at Perryville state prison refused to return to their cells for a period of time on Friday after being told to do so by prison staff, according to the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation & Reentry.
ADCRR said the group of 50 women was out of their cells as part of the prison's Excessive Heat Safety and Relief Strategy Plan.
According to ADCRR, the plan was implemented due to "extreme temperature warnings in Maricopa County."
It allows for "individual cell doors to remain open at affected complexes and individual housing units during certain times" due to high temperatures outdoors, according to ADCRR.
Friday's incident occurred at the Lumley Unit.
At closure time, prison staff told the women to return to their cells but the group refused, ADCRR said.
After additional staff was brought in the women "eventually complied and returned to their housing area," ADCRR said.
In response to 12News questions on Monday morning, an ADCRR spokesperson said that Perryville staff spent more than two hours trying to de-escalate the situation with "verbal techniques."
Then, the spokesperson confirmed that pepper spray was used.
"However, when inmates initiated assaultive behavior towards staff, staff responded with non-lethal tactics, including the use of OC spray to ensure staff safety, the safety of other inmates and to ensure security of state property," the spokesperson stated in an email.
ADCRR didn't specify how many additional staff members were brought in.
The incident was not related to any heat concerns, ADCRR said and added that the incident was under investigation.
As 12News reported, the prison has struggled with extreme heat concerns this summer. Logs from the prison show every single day from July 17-31, certain cells at Perryville prison were higher than 95 degrees.
I-Team
Learn more about other 12 News investigations by subscribing to the 12 News YouTube channel and watching our I-Team playlist.
Watch 12News+ for free
You can now watch 12News content anytime, anywhere thanks to the 12News+ app!
The free 12News+ app from 12News lets users stream live events — including daily newscasts like "Today in AZ" and "12 News" and our daily lifestyle program, "Arizona Midday"—on Roku and Amazon Fire TV.
12News+ showcases live video throughout the day for breaking news, local news, weather and even an occasional moment of Zen showcasing breathtaking sights from across Arizona.
Users can also watch on-demand videos of top stories, local politics, I-Team investigations, Arizona-specific features and vintage videos from the 12News archives.
Roku: Add the channel from the Roku store or by searching for "12 News KPNX."
Amazon Fire TV: Search for "12 News KPNX" to find the free 12News+ app to add to your account, or have the 12News+ app delivered directly to your Amazon Fire TV through Amazon.com or the Amazon app.
More ways to get 12News
On your phone: Download the 12News app for the latest local breaking news straight to your phone.
On your streaming device: Download 12News+ to your streaming device
The free 12News+ app from 12News lets users stream live events — including daily newscasts like "Today in AZ" and "12 News" and our daily lifestyle program, "Arizona Midday"—on Roku and Amazon Fire TV.
12News+ showcases live video throughout the day for breaking news, local news, weather and even an occasional moment of Zen showcasing breathtaking sights from across Arizona.