Eleven arrested in riot at Brooksville juvenile facility

BROOKSVILLE — Eleven boys serving sentences at the Eckerd Youth Camp south of Brooksville were arrested Sunday night, accused of inciting a riot.

As many as 30 boys were fighting and trying to break into locked areas of the facility about 9:30 p.m., staffers told Hernando County sheriff's deputies. When deputies arrived at the facility, at 201 Culbreath Road, "multiple inmates were running everywhere," according to one juvenile's arrest report.

Supervisors at the facility utilized less-than-lethal shotguns, and one deputy pulled out his pepper spray to get inmates to settle down and lie on the floor.

When deputies had everything under control, the staff identified 11 boys who were most responsible for the incident. They were charged with starting an affray or riot. One person was taken to the hospital to be treated before being taken to jail.

Times staff