Two Prison Employees Released, Delaware Officials Communicating With Hostage Takers

SMYRNA, Del. (CBSNewYork) -- Two employees have been released, but two remain hostage at a prison in Delaware.

As CBS2's Dana Tyler reported, there is no threat to the public, but all Delaware prisons are on lockdown as a precaution.

The emergency situation began been unfolding at the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center in Smyrna -- which is about 12 miles north of Dover -- just before 11 a.m. on Wednesday.

Carla Vareen said she has not heard from her husband all day and fears he may be one of the hostages.

"My girlfriend's husband is hostage, and we did find that out, but I'm not sure about mine. That's why I'm here tonight," she said, "I'm hurt, I don't know what's going on. I don't know if he's hurt."

She told CBS2's Tracee Carrasco that the situation unfolding is one that she had worried about.

"It scares me each and every day that he comes in here with these inmates, because you never know what they may have planned," she said.

Perry Phelps, the Commissioner of the Delaware Department of Corrections, told reporters that a code 3 and code 1 emergency involving staff was called in C building.

A Department of Corrections emergency response team was activated, and by 2:25 p.m. the first hostage had been released.

By 8 p.m. two staff members and 27 prisoners had been released. Two staff members were still being held as of the press briefing, and Delaware Gov. John Carney Jr. said that he had been in touch with the families of the hostages.

One staff member was being treated for non-life-threatening injuries, the condition of the other staff member was unknown.

Investigators said the inmates took control of a building that houses up to 150 people. Vaughn prison is Delaware's largest prison. The all male facility houses 2,500 prisoners -- some on death row.

Inmates called a local newspaper with demands and complaints that included improper sentencing orders, incorrect status sheets, and oppression towards the inmates.

"I'm just doing what I'm being told to. I'm just trying to help you ma'am," the caller said.

The unidentified prisoner said he was asked by hostage takers to relay their demands, which mostly include prison reform.

Department of Safety and Homeland Security, Secretary Robert Coop said that both state police and the FBI had responded to the situation.

Earlier in the day officials had said that five people were taken hostage. Coop corrected that number, explaining that it had been four.

"One of those staff members, shortly before we cam here was identified as doing well. He was not a hostage, but he was assigned duties there today, but he was in another part of the prison because were were in lockdown," he said.

While the dynamics of the takeover remain unclear, officials said that they had been communicating with the hostage takers.

"There was a correction officer radio, and that has been the main form of communication today. What I would point out is that the inmates in this building do have access to television, so they may be watching this broadcast live right now," Coop said.

Coop added that upon the safe return of the staff, communication would continue with the prisoners.

"That will be the time to talk if the inmates want to talk about conditions, privileges, those types of things. Yes, that dialogue can take place, but none of that starts until we have the safe return of our staff," he said.

Officials were still trying to investigate a motive, but Vareen said tensions have been mounting inside the facility between officers and inmates, and that the staff is overworked.

"Very tough. He comes home, he's not a complainer, but I can look at him and tell that he's had a hard day," she said, "These inmates, we didn't put them in there. They put themselves in there."

There was an assault at the same prison last week, on Saturday, an inmate squirted an unknown liquid at a correction officer.