World

Honduras Prison Riot Leaves 41+ Women Dead

‘MONSTROUS’

Most were killed in a fire but others were fatally shot, officials said.

The relative of an inmate reacts following a deadly riot in Tamara, on the outskirts of Tegucigalpa, Honduras, June 20, 2023.
Fredy Rodriguez/Reuters

At least 41 women died after a riot erupted at a prison in Honduras on Tuesday, authorities said. Reports suggest the massacre in Central America began as rival gangs clashed inside the women’s facility, with one of the groups allegedly setting a cell on fire. The resulting blaze caused most of the deaths, officials said, but some of the victims were shot dead. Other surviving victims were hospitalized with injuries. President Xiomara Castro tweeted that she was “shocked by the monstrous murder of women” and promised to take “drastic measures” in response to the bloodshed. Delma Ordóñez, who represents some of the inmates’ families, told reporters that the prison was “completely destroyed” in the mayhem.

Read it at BBC