Last 2 Hostages Freed Unharmed as Prison Siege in Oklahoma Ends

STRINGTOWN, Okla. — The last two hostages in a medium-security prison were released unharmed Monday, peacefully ending a 59-hour uprising in which inmates took eight guards captive and did more than $1 million in damage.

The siege at Mack Alford Correctional Facility ended at 10:30 a.m. when the inmates released Sgt. Harold Yoder, then surrendered. The other remaining hostage, corrections officer Ronnie Scott, was freed about 30 minutes later.

“For all practical purposes, it’s over,” prison spokesman Jerry Massie said as nine inmates who held the guards captive were loaded on a bus for transfer to another facility.

One guard and one inmate were injured in the violence that broke out Friday night at the 33-year-old prison. Forty-two other prisoners, suspected of aiding the nine, also will be transferred from the prison.

“Some took more of a leadership role and others stood back. We’ll have to sort that out later,” Corrections Director Gary Maynard said.

Officials said estimates of $1.2 million in damage to the prison did not include a three-story dormitory gutted by fire at the start of the uprising. A complete damage assessment was planned.

The nine captors had demanded that they be moved to other prisons and that their departure be recorded by television cameras, said Joy Hadwiger, corrections spokeswoman in Oklahoma City.

The inmates initially seized eight hostages--all prison guards--but five were released unharmed Saturday and a sixth was set free Sunday.