Officials say three inmates died after a fast-moving clash tied to suspected gang rivalries at Washington State Prison.
DAVISBORO, Ga. — Georgia prison officials on Monday identified three inmates who died after a burst of violence Sunday at Washington State Prison and said investigators are examining possible gang ties. The prison remains on lockdown as authorities review video and physical evidence and track those involved in the chain of fights.
The Georgia Department of Corrections named the dead as Ahmod Hatcher, Jimmy Lee Trammell, and Teddy Jackson. The disturbance began about 1:25 p.m. Sunday on a sidewalk inside the medium-security facility and spread toward the visitation area, where families were present. At least a dozen inmates were injured, and a correctional officer sustained non-life-threatening injuries, officials said. The scale of the violence and the presence of visitors raised urgent security questions across a system that has battled contraband, gang activity, and staffing shortages.
Corrections staff cleared the visitation space within minutes as injured inmates moved through nearby corridors, according to the agency. Deputies from Washington County, along with state troopers and local police, secured the perimeter while officers inside used nonlethal tools to separate combatants. “Multiple altercations occurred in quick succession,” the department said, describing how the fight radiated from the walkway into adjacent areas before teams restored order. Ambulances transported the wounded to regional hospitals as the coroner’s office confirmed two deaths inside the facility; a third inmate died after being taken for treatment.
Investigators are analyzing surveillance footage and social media videos that appear to show inmates with improvised weapons. Officials said they recovered several items from the scene and are testing them for DNA and fingerprints. The exact cause of the initial conflict remains unclear. Sheriff Joel Cochran said his deputies focused on securing the grounds while corrections officials handled the response inside the fence. The department is also reconstructing movements near visitation rooms to determine how quickly staff moved families out and whether new barriers or procedures are needed when incidents break out during scheduled visits.
Washington State Prison opened in 1991 and can house up to 1,548 inmates. Like other Georgia facilities, it has faced staffing shortfalls that complicate supervision in yards and housing units. Past audits and court filings have flagged contraband networks, including drones used to drop drugs and phones, which officials say can inflame rivalries between groups. Advocates for incarcerated people have pointed to previous outbreaks of violence across the system and called for repairs to security equipment. While Sunday’s disturbance stands out for its timing during visitation hours, it fits a broader pattern of group-on-group fights that officials link to internal prison economies.
Legal steps now move on two tracks: criminal liability for those who took part and administrative reviews of prison operations. Internal affairs investigators are conducting recorded interviews with staff and incarcerated witnesses and issuing preservation holds for digital files. Autopsies are underway to determine the precise causes of death; toxicology results will follow in the coming weeks. Any criminal charges would be filed in Washington County Superior Court after prosecutors review reports and lab findings. Officials said they will also brief the Georgia Bureau of Investigation if new evidence points to outside coordination or contraband deliveries.
Outside the gates Monday, the road was quiet except for a rotating line of patrol cars. “They moved us out fast and kept us calm,” said Angela Rivera, who said she was visiting a cousin when officers cleared the room. A local shop owner described sirens and ambulances leaving “one after another.” Inmates’ relatives gathered at a gas station down the highway, trading updates by phone and waiting for calls from hospitals. By evening, the department had confirmed the three names, and families of the injured were still awaiting detailed condition reports.
The prison remains under lockdown as investigators finish interviews and map movements inside the facility. Officials said the next public update is expected after autopsy findings and preliminary evidence reviews later this week.
Author note: Last updated January 13, 2026.