MASSILLON, Ohio (WJW) — Ohio State Highway Patrol says the incarcerated youth are safe and in custody after a barricade incident at the Indian River Juvenile Correctional Facility Saturday afternoon, according to a tweet.
The facility is under the Ohio Department of Youth Services (DYS), which has felony offenders ages 10-21, according to a state website.
Initial reports came from many viewers around 4:30 p.m. indicating there was a large law enforcement presence involved in an incident at the facility.
OSHP confirmed to FOX 8 around 5:30 p.m. what they called a “contained barricade incident” at Indian River. They said staff in a “safe and separate building” was communicating with “juveniles in the contained area.”
Around 8:30, OSHP reported,” Negotiations continue with the 12 incarcerated youth in the barricaded, contained area.”
Barricade incident at the Indian River Juvenile Correctional Facility (WJW) 
Barricade incident at the Indian River Juvenile Correctional Facility (WJW) 
Barricade incident at the Indian River Juvenile Correctional Facility (WJW) 
Barricade incident at the Indian River Juvenile Correctional Facility (WJW)
They went on to say there are no known injuries.
The 40-acre facility is located near a shopping center.
OSHP says there was no threat to anyone in the Stark County area.
At a separate location in Indian River, OSHP reports a Department of Youth Services employee was assaulted by an incarcerated juvenile around 6:30 p.m.
“The employee sustained non-life threatening injuries and was transported,” OSHP said. They said the incident was separate from the barricaded area.
A 2019 inspection of the facility conducted by the Correctional Institution Inspection Committee reported there was an average of 155 male juvenile offenders.
At that time, the facility employed 271 staff members.
The investigation is ongoing and FOX 8 will update this story as more is learned.
