SCCC hostage situation resolved without injury

Photo by Shari Harris
SCCC staff turned away traffic at the gate during Monday’s incident.

By Shari Harris, Publisher

At approximately 8 a.m. on Monday, October 20, a clerical staff member at South Central Correctional Center (SCCC) in Licking was taken hostage by an offender, starting a five-hour long incident that involved multiple law enforcement agencies. At 1 p.m, the offender released his hostage without incident or injury and fifteen minutes later, the offender exited the office and was apprehended.

The incident began when an offender entered a staff office inside a housing unit and took an SCCC employee hostage. SCCC staff initiated emergency protocols, and throughout the morning, the sirens of responding law enforcement vehicles could be heard as they passed through Licking. In addition to the SCCC staff on scene at the time of the incident, other responders included the Corrections Emergency Response Team (CERT), the Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP), the MSHP SWAT team, the Licking Police Department, the Texas County Sheriff’s Office, and the Texas County Special Response Team (SRT).

After a five-hour standoff, the offender released the staff member, who was immediately debriefed and provided with trauma support services. At 1:15 p.m., the SWAT team and CERT entered the building and the offender was apprehended.

A press release from the Missouri Department of Corrections included the following statement:

“We are grateful to the Highway Patrol, the Licking Police Department and the Texas County Sheriff’s Department for their prompt response to this situation. Their professionalism and expertise helped bring about a quick resolution and protect the safety of our staff and residents.”