Standoff at Lewis Prison Complex

15-day crisis: Jan. 18 - Feb. 1, 2004

Developments in the aftermath

Tapes give insight into prison stand-off
Newly released audio tapes of negotiations during the hostage situation in Buckeye depict tense, volatile interactions between two inmates and authorities, but also show how the pair slowly developed a friendly rapport with negotiators.

Hostage: Prayer helped me through ordeal
A female prison guard who was held hostage for 15 days by two armed inmates tried to keep her wits by praying and thinking of her daughter, according to statements she gave authorities.

Prison hostage standoff charges likely to include sexual assault
Probable criminal charges against two inmates who held authorities at bay for 15 days at an Arizona prison could include sexual assault, according to a document obtained Wednesday by The Associated Press.

Napolitano says prison review open-ended
Gov. Janet Napolitano says her administration's review of the Lewis prison's 15-day hostage standoff will be both thorough and fast.

Lawmakers consider launching own investigation of prison standoff
Republican legislative leaders considered today whether to launch their own investigation into a standoff in which prisoners held two guards hostage in a watch tower.

Ariz. prison reform ideas could come from Ohio
In the wake of a 15-day hostage crisis at Arizona's Lewis Prison Complex, state officials are looking to make some changes, ideas for which could come from reforms made in the Ohio prison system.

Changes for prison in works after 15-day hostage standoff
In the aftermath of a 15-day hostage situation at the state prison near Buckeye, Arizona corrections officials have begun changing security procedures to prevent a repeat.

Relatives pleased that hostage-taker will return to Maine
Some relatives of one of two Arizona prison inmates who held correctional officers hostage -- Steven Coy -- say they're pleased that he will be returning to Maine.

NewsChannel 3

One of the men accused of holding two correctional officers hostage surrenders to officers in this image from video.

Hostage takers' families discuss crisis
At one point in the tense, 15-day negotiations to free a female corrections officer held hostage in a guard tower, it appeared inmate Ricky Wassenaar wasn't going to let the crisis end peacefully, the inmate's sister said.

Out-of-state transfers was state's only concession to prison hostage-takers
A transfer to prisons outside Arizona was the only commitment made to two inmates to secure their surrender and the release of a guard they were holding hostage, Gov. Janet Napolitano said.

Probe launched into prison standoff, video released
The governor's office has released a videotape of the moment that the 15-day prison standoff in Buckeye ended. Video

Hostage takers to be sent out of Arizona
Gov. Janet Napolitano said the two inmates involved in the longest U.S. prison hostage standoff in decades will be sent out of Arizona.

Inmates: Stand-off was escape attempt gone bad
One of two prison inmates who held a female correctional officer hostage for more than two weeks told a Phoenix radio station that the pair were trying to escape and headed to a guard watchtower only to stock up on weapons. Video

Day-to-day developments

AP

A hand-written timeline of the prison standoff at Lewis Prison Complex

Female correctional officer free, hostage takers surrender
The female correctional officer who endured 15 days as a hostage of two inmates at the Lewis Prison Complex in Buckeye is doing "very well," according to a Department of Corrections spokesperson. The standoff, the longest in U.S. history, ended Sunday evening when the hostage was freed and the inmates surrendered. Video

Day 15: Inmate fires projectile, captive guard shows head at Ariz. prison
One of two inmates holding a female corrections officer hostage launched a projectile into the air Sunday afternoon. Also Sunday, a female corrections officer held hostage in a prison guard tower for two weeks by two inmates showed her head above the structure's hatch.

Governor, correctional officers' wives speak out
Even as Gov. Janet Naplitano spoke on CNN about the ongoing situation at Lewis Prison Complex, several wives of correctional officers took to the streets Sunday to hang up fliers and voice their concerns about the crisis and the way it has been handled. Video

Ariz. prison standoff continues into day 14
For the first time since two inmates took two corrections officers hostage in a prison watchtower two weeks ago, one of the inmates appeared on the roof displaying a weapon Saturday.

Official: Negotiations "a painstaking effort"
Two inmates holding a guard hostage for a 13th day were still talking to negotiators Friday, a state prisons official said.

Day 12: Negotiators keep working for prison guard's release
Prison officials say negotiations still hold the most promise for freeing a female correctional officer being kept hostage in a guard tower, though tactical intervention remains an option.

Buckeye prison standoff enters day 11
The long, drawn-out nature of an 11-day prison hostage crisis may actually help authorities achieve a peaceful end, experts say.

Ariz. prison workers rally around hostage
Workers from other prisons around Arizona are donning yellow ribbons and volunteering to fill in at a prison that has been under lockdown for more than a week while a corrections officer is being held hostage, a spokeswoman said Tuesday.

Officials contact hostage at prison
A prison guard held hostage inside a watch tower by a pair of inmates sent a message that she is alive in her latest contact with authorities.

Officials more optimistic about ending standoff
Signs that fatigue was setting in had prison officials hopeful that a hostage standoff now in its ninth day could be resolved peacefully, a spokeswoman said Monday.

Arizona prison negotiators remain upbeat
Two prison inmates, having let one of their two hostages free, remained holed up in a weapons-stocked guard tower as negotiators signaled talks to resolve the crisis were going well.

Female guard remains prison hostage
A prison hostage crisis entered its second week Sunday with a female guard the sole captive in a watch tower after another guard was allowed to climb down to safety. Video

One hostage released from prison guard tower
One of two correctional officers held hostage by two inmates for nearly a week climbed down from a prison guard tower to safety Saturday.

Appearance of prison guards brings hope
The appearance of two guards on the deck of an Arizona prison tower where they are being held hostage by two inmates gave negotiators hope as talks to end the standoff entered a sixth day Friday.

Prison hostage talks well into fifth day
Two prison guards held hostage inside a watch tower by a pair of inmates have sent a message that they are all right, authorities said as the standoff entered a fifth day Thursday.

Counselors ease anxiety as inmates hold prison guards hostage for fifth day
As the hours turned into days, and two inmates continued to hold a pair of correctional officers hostage at Lewis Prison Complex outside of Phoenix, crisis counselors worked to help keep Department of Corrections staff and anxious family members from panicking.

AP

Steven Coy (left) and Ricky Wassenaar took two correctional officers hostage on Jan. 18.

Negotiators: Ariz. hostages seem unharmed
Negotiators trying to resolve a four-day prison hostage crisis caught their first glimpse of the two corrections officers being held inside a guard tower and said they appeared to be physically unharmed.

Day 3: Negotiations continue with Ariz. inmates
Negotiators on Tuesday saw two correctional officers held hostage in a prison guard tower for the first time since they were taken captive by a pair of inmates Sunday.

Arizona guards taken hostage say they're OK
Two state prison guards who were taken hostage when a pair of inmates got into their observation tower were able to give word they were not seriously injured, officials said Monday. Video

Officials work to free Arizona prison officers
Negotiators tried to talk two inmates into freeing a pair of prison guards held hostage in an observation tower Monday for a second day.

Two inmates take a pair of correctional officer hostage
Two state correctional officers were taken hostage by inmates early Sunday, and negotiators were called in to try to defuse the situation. Video

Related stories

15-day standoff: How it began
What turned into a 15-day standoff began in the early morning hours on Sunday, Jan. 18, when two inmates were released from their cells for kitchen duty.

Timeline of hostage situation at Lewis Complex
A timeline of events during the 15-day standoff from the Department of Corrections

Disturbance and fire at Lewis prison complex (Jan. 7, 2004)
More than a week before the hostage standoff began, Lewis Prison Complex was the site of two small fires started after an altercation between two inmates spread unrest among 80 prisoners.