Longest Prison Riot in U.S. History Remembered: Lucasville Uprising Began April 11, 1993
LUCASVILLE, Ohio — One of the most significant and deadly prison uprisings in American history began on this day in 1993, when inmates at the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility launched a riot that would last 11 days and leave a lasting impact on the state of Ohio.
According to accounts shared by Doug Miller in his “This Day in History” series, the riot erupted around 3:00 p.m. on Easter Sunday, April 11, 1993, inside Section L of the maximum-security prison. Approximately 450 inmates from multiple cell blocks overtook the area, seizing control and taking corrections officers hostage.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol Special Response Team was deployed to the facility later that evening, arriving around 6:30 p.m. Troopers would spend the next 11 days inside the prison, working alongside the Department of Corrections’ SWAT team in a tense and dangerous standoff.
Violence escalated quickly. On the first day of the riot, five inmates were killed and their bodies placed in the prison yard. They were reportedly targeted after being labeled as informants by other inmates. In the days that followed, four additional inmates were killed under similar accusations.
During the initial takeover, 12 corrections officers were taken hostage. Four were released within hours due to injuries sustained during the uprising, while eight others remained captive throughout the duration of the siege.
Tragically, on April 14, after negotiations broke down, inmates killed corrections officer Robert Vallandingham in an apparent attempt to demonstrate their resolve.
The standoff finally came to an end on April 21, 1993. In total, the riot resulted in the deaths of nine inmates and one corrections officer. The facility sustained more than $40 million in damage.
The Lucasville uprising remains the longest prison riot in United States history.
Miller, reflecting on the event, expressed gratitude for the law enforcement officers who responded and endured the prolonged crisis.
“Thank you to all the officers that responded and stayed the course,” he said. “A special thanks to members of the Ohio State Highway Patrol Special Response Team that had my back during this difficult event.”
The anniversary serves as a reminder of the dangers faced by corrections officers and law enforcement personnel, as well as the lasting consequences of one of Ohio’s most intense prison crises.
