Nebraska officials have released the names of the two inmates who were killed in an incident at the Tecumseh State Correctional Institution on Thursday,
Officials say 39-year-old Damon Fitzgerald and 31-year-old Michael Galindo died during the disturbance.
According to authorities, Fitzgerald was serving 310 to 470 years for a Douglas County conviction for sexual assault and other charges.
While Galindo was serving a 12 to 21 jail sentence on robbery and other charges.
“Any loss of life is tragic. The TSCI staff handled the situation extremely well, which limited the incident to a small number of participants and minimal damage,” said Director Scott R. Frakes. “The public’s safety was never compromised.”
On Thursday, Department of Corrections officials said the prison went on lockdown at around 1:00 p.m.
Officials say about 40 out of 128 inmates in a housing unit refused to return to their cells, and set a fire on the concrete slab of the small yard.
At approximately 4:30 p.m. the emergency response teams entered the affected area and secured it. Damage to the affected housing unit was not extensive and remains functional.
The Nebraska State Patrol is leading the criminal investigation and the Nebraska State Fire Marshal is conducting the investigation into the fires. An internal critical incident review is also being conducted. Tecumseh prison officials say the public's safety was never compromised.
