During the COVID-19 pandemic, the facility was unable to control spread of the virus. On 9 April, inmates began to riot citing the lack of health care. Reports indicated the inmates were armed with edged weapons. Video of the unrest reached the national media. By 29 April, two prisoners had died of the disease. In late April, large-scale testing began indicating over three-quarters of the inmates were infected. The Department of Corrections asked the governor to release prisoners near the end of their sentences in order provide some level of social distancing. Governor Laura Kelly took no action.