The Minnesota Department of Corrections (DOC) reports that the situation at MCF-Stillwater has been resolved without incident and all the incarcerated individuals have returned to their cells.

The DOC placed the facility on emergency lockdown status at about 8 am today after approximately 100 inmates in one living unit refused to return to their cells. All DOC staff were quickly removed from the common areas of the housing unit while two correctional officers stayed in the unit’s secure control area. Those two officers were in constant communication with facility command personnel during the incident.

DOC spokesperson Andy Skoogman said there were no injuries, and the situation was calm, peaceful and stable throughout the day.

Skoogman said some of the incarcerated individuals in the unit indicated dissatisfaction because the DOC modified cell release schedules over the holiday weekend. The modified schedule provides limited access facility-wide to out-of-cell time for showers, phone use and recreation. The modification is due to staffing challenges. Claims by some in the housing unit and from outside groups about a lack of clean water in the facility are patently false.

MCF-Stillwater remains on lockdown status.