911 calls detail assault, riot at Camp East Montana detention facility

ABC-7 obtained copies of 911 calls from incidents at Camp East Montana, an El Paso detention facility, according to KVIA. The calls document medical emergencies and two major disturbances between August and early September.

On Sept. 1, a 29-year-old security officer was assaulted by a detainee, punched in the ribs and transported to a local hospital. Department of Homeland Security said in a statement that detainees struck, kicked, and threw tablets at security staff, resulting in injuries to multiple personnel who received immediate medical care. DHS said combative detainees were removed from the dormitory and operations returned to normal.

On Sept. 7 around 1 p.m., approximately 130 detainees rioted, throwing items, flipping furniture, and disabling security cameras, according to DHS. The agency reported significant damage to the facility and property but said no injuries occurred and all detainees were accounted for. A deportation officer's 911 call requested assistance, and dispatch records indicated migrants attempted to breach the walls of the housing tent unit. Fort Bliss Military Police requested assistance but ultimately declined to deploy after seeking approval, advising contact with El Paso Police Department instead. Military police also notified the Criminal Investigations Division as a precaution. A Texas Department of Public Safety helicopter provided aerial support during the riot.

911 calls from August through early September also documented medical incidents unrelated to the disturbances: seizures affecting a 61-year-old man on Aug. 5 and a 35-year-old woman on Aug. 16; illness of a 40-year-old detention center worker on Aug. 18; and on Sept. 6, abdominal pain in a 20-year-old man and chest pain in a 38-year-old man in separate incidents.

DHS stated that violence against ICE officers or law enforcement will not be tolerated and that anyone who assaults, obstructs, or violently attacks officers will face arrest and prosecution.