State investigators continue probing eastern North Carolina jail takeover
By Kelly Doty
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BERTIE COUNTY, North Carolina (WLOS) — State investigators continue examining how inmates at a North Carolina jail were able to overpower guards and take control of parts of the facility Monday, June 29, 2026.
Three guards and 88 inmates were inside the Bertie-Martin Regional Detention Center in Windsor when the takeover began around 5 a.m., prompting an immediate response from local, state and federal authorities, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) said in a statement posted on social media. Two of the three guards were temporarily held hostage during the ordeal.
By early afternoon, the SBI and the FBI had “cleared the facility,” and all staff and inmates were “safe and accounted for,” the state bureau said in a statement.
In an update shared Tuesday, June 30, the SBI said agents worked throughout the night and continue to conduct interviews and review surveillance footage 24 hours after the inmate takeover ended.
“Due to the volume of video evidence, this process is expected to take a significant amount of time,” the SBI said in a written statement.
The SBI said determining how and why the event occurred is a primary focus of its investigation, adding that it will share its findings with local and state agencies.
Inmates who were held at the Bertie-Martin Regional Detention Center before the incident have been transferred to the custody of the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction and relocated to other facilities, the SBI said in a statement.
Gov. Josh Stein weighed in on the situation Monday afternoon, describing it as “horrifying” and calling for those behind the takeover to be held responsible.
Stein also called for more staff recruiting and retention efforts to keep jails and prisons safer.
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