Pedophile killed in violent uprising in B.C. prison

[Stan]

Pedophile killed in violent uprising in B.C. prison

Updated Sun. Mar. 30 2008 9:48 PM ET

CTV.ca News Staff

A dangerous sex offender who preyed on children has been identified as the inmate killed in a violent uprising at a federal prison in Agassiz, B.C.

Mountain Institution, a medium security facility, is still under lockdown after a number of inmates at the prison began breaking windows in the gymnasium just before 10 p.m. local time Saturday. The inmates were in the gym as part of their normal routine.

The uprising spread to other parts of the facility before staff managed to retain control.

Another inmate was injured and taken to hospital. No staff were injured.

The inmate killed was Michael Andrew Gibbon, 39. He was arrested in 1997 when police found 53 rolls of film and more than 400 videotapes in a child pornography sting.

In 1992, he was convicted of sexual interference of a two-year-old. Also, in 1997, he was charged with the sexual assault of two girls, aged three and four.

Dave Lefebvre, a Correctional Service spokesman, said it was too early to know if Gibbon or the other inmate injured was targeted. Correction Services and the RCMP are investigating the homicide.

There was no word on whether a weapon was used to kill Gibbon, but inmates did break glass in the gym.

"Inmates did threaten staff members . . . (who) worked to maintain safety, but this was a major disturbance," Lefebrve told CTV Newsnet Sunday.

Another 12 inmates were taken to hospital for being under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Lefebvre said prisoners will remain in their cells during the lockdown. The lockdown will be in place while staff clean up the aftermath of the disturbance and conduct a search of each cell.

Mountain Institution, located 120 kilometres east of Vancouver, houses 442 men serving a federal sentence of two years or longer.