Inmate stabbed in stomach during fight at San Francisco jail, sheriff says

SAN FRANCISCO -- A stabbing occurred Thursday during a fight between two inmates at a San Francisco County Jail, according to Sheriff Paul Miyamoto.

"We had a one-on-one confrontation between two of our incarcerated population," Miyamoto said in an interview.

One inmate allegedly stabbed another inmate in the stomach with a folding knife, according to the Sheriff's Office.

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The fight did not escalate beyond the two inmates, Miyamoto said. The cause of the fight is under investigation.

The victim suffered an injury to the abdomen and a defensive wound on their hand, and was transported to a hospital for treatment. The suspect remains in custody under close observation.

Miyamoto said physical fights are uncommon in the jails, and that deputies conduct searches to ensure that inmates don't have weapons.

"Use of weapons is not usually something that happens, although it does," he said. "We have people who make things and improvise things that are made into weapons inside of the jail, and we stay on top of searching and making sure that those kinds of things aren't in the population."

An investigation will be "started immediately" into the stabbing, Miyamoto said.

The suspected stabbing took place at the county jail on Seventh Street, just a few feet away from the Hall of Justice where Mayor Daniel Lurie was introducing incoming Police Chief Derrick Lew during a briefing Thursday.