A leader of a white supremacist gang based in Las Vegas, Zackaria Luz, was among the three inmates who were killed during a prison fight at Ely State Prison in Nevada. Sheriff Scott Henriod confirmed the deaths of Luz and another inmate named Connor Brown, while the identity of the third deceased inmate has not been disclosed pending notification of their relatives. The violent altercation also resulted in injuries to at least nine other inmates, who were not identified publicly.
Zackaria Luz, aged 43, was known as a prominent figure within the Aryan Warriors gang and was serving a sentence of over eight years for charges including racketeering and forgery. Brown, who was 22 years old and from South Lake Tahoe, California, had been incarcerated for a period of seven to 24 years due to a robbery conviction involving a weapon. The incident took place at the maximum-security facility on Tuesday morning, prompting law enforcement to respond to the scene.
The exact cause of the brawl has not been revealed, and authorities are currently conducting an investigation into the matter. While the injured inmates were transferred for medical treatment, specific details about their conditions were not disclosed. Among the injured, some were airlifted for treatment outside of the Ely area.
No prison staff members were harmed during the altercation, according to the Nevada Department of Corrections. The Nevada Governor, Joe Lombardo, has not issued any comments regarding the incident at Ely State Prison. The facility accommodates nearly 1,200 beds and is known for housing the state’s death row and a never-utilized lethal injection chamber.
Ely, where the prison is located, is a small town with approximately 4,000 residents and is situated about 215 miles north of Las Vegas. Nevada’s prison system, encompassing six correctional centers, detains around 10,000 inmates statewide. Criticisms regarding the prison conditions in Nevada have been raised, particularly concerning extreme temperatures and inadequate facilities. In recent years, efforts to address deficiencies in prison operations have been stalled, despite continued advocacy for reform.
Following a series of security challenges within the Nevada prison system, Governor Lombardo reinstated James Dzurenda as the state prisons director earlier this year. Dzurenda had previously served in the same position for three years before resigning in 2019 and subsequently undertaking other roles in the corrections sector. The administration of Ely State Prison remains under scrutiny as investigations into the recent incident continue.
