2 Killed In Prison 'Group Disturbance' In Lawton

Two Oklahoma prisoners have died, and four others are injured, including a prison guard, in what the Oklahoma Department of Corrections is calling a "group disturbance."

It happened Friday at the privately run Lawton Correctional and Rehabilitation Facility.

DOC officials say "human error" is to blame after two rival gangs who are supposed to be separated came in contact with each other and a fight broke out.

The private Lawton facility is still on lockdown today after Friday's violence. DOC says along with the two prisoners who died, another prisoner was taken to the hospital by helicopter. The employee who was injured had minor injuries.

The State House Corrections Committee Chairman, Representative J.J. Humphrey (R Lane). says he's been involved in corrections for 35 years and has never seen it as bad as it is right now and called Friday's incident a "mini riot."

“How long does it take for our legislators and how long does it take for the Governor to say hey, this is obviously a problem? We have a complete massive meltdown, a complete failure with the current director, and it’s time for somebody to say we’ve got to do something. Step in and stop these problems,” said Humphrey.

DOC pushed back at those comments, calling it a "mini riot" with a statement saying: "The Chairman of the Criminal Justice and Corrections seems to lack an understanding of precisely what constitutes a riot in a correctional setting. He continues to misrepresent the truth to fit his self-serving narratives."

The fight is now being investigated by the Department of Corrections Inspector General. All visitations at the facility are canceled for the time being, and there’s no word yet on when the lockdown will be lifted.