Guards Taken Hostage During Escape Attempt

Tuesday, May 8th 2007, 11:00 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- Three Oklahoma County inmates, including two suspected killers, armed with homemade knives took at least six guards hostage Tuesday in an early morning escape attempt before authorities disarmed the men and took them into custody, the sheriff's office said.

No one was injured, and the jail remained locked down Tuesday, said Mark Myers, a spokesman for the sheriff's office.

The inmates were disarmed when a sheriff's deputy on the ground level of the jail held the men at gunpoint.

"Once the deputy pulled out his handgun, it was pretty much over," Myers said.

Myers identified the inmates as David Lee Salazar, 21; Orlando Mark Cooks, 30; and Courtney Dewayne Watts, 23.

Salazar and Watts were being held for first-degree murder, Cooks was being held on numerous charges including burglary and robbery with a firearm, court records show.

The incident started about 3:30 a.m. on the 12th floor of the jail when the inmates took two guards hostage.

The inmates then made their way to the second floor of the jail, where they took four more guards hostage, Myers said.

"From a preliminary investigation, it looks like at that point they were able to lock some of the detention officers away in different rooms," Myers said.

Visiting hours at the jail were canceled Tuesday as investigators continued their probe into the incident, Myers said.