Teens Spark Jail Riot on Christmas, Assault Officers

Two teenagers, aged 16 and 18, were charged following a riot and assaults on corrections officers at the Summit County Detention Center on Christmas Day. Video evidence shows four youths vandalizing their housing unit and throwing chairs, escalating to attacks on staff. The 16-year-old faces assault charges and could be tried as an adult, while the 18-year-old, Je'Miere Jones, is accused of initiating the disturbance by causing inmates to ransack the unit.

During the melee, Jones allegedly punched one officer and knocked another down, with other inmates joining the chaos. A total of seven inmates were involved, leading to a significant security response with 11 officers intervening. The judge ordered both teens to be held in county jail due to their violent actions, with Jones also facing assault charges.

The mother of the 16-year-old blamed the facility, claiming her son did not receive his medication and that staff intentionally provoked the incident. She suggested the riot escalated from a fight that occurred when a door was left open. The court, however, deemed the behavior a threat to facility safety.