Seven staffers injured in youth brawl at King County juvenile detention facility
A fight between eight youths housed at King County’s juvenile detention facility sent seven staff members to the hospital on Thursday with injuries including a broken wrist, sprains and a shoulder injury, said Noah Haglund, Department of Adult and Juvenile Detention spokesperson. Youths received "superficial" injuries and were treated on-site, he said.
A representative of the Juvenile Detention Guild said the incident reflected ongoing safety issues and understaffing at juvy. Twenty-one percent of its juvenile detention officer positions are vacant, Haglund said, with the county offering hiring bonuses of up to $25,000.
King County Executive Dow Constantine has pledged to close youth detention in 2025, but there’s still no plan for what would replace it.
The melee comes exactly two months after a staff member was beaten at Echo Glen Children’s Center in Snoqualmie as seven youth escaped from state detention.
Washington Federation of State Workers, which represents workers at Echo Glen, also blamed understaffing, and called on the state to improve safety conditions.
-
Ann Dornfeld
Reporter
Ann is a reporter on KUOW's Investigations Team. Previously, she covered education stories for KUOW for a decade, with a focus on investigations into racial and socioeconomic inequities.
More stories from Ann Dornfeld »
