Did Half of Riot Response Team Members Quit at Jail? MDC Mum on Staffing After Inmate Stabbing and Hostage Situation

Albuquerque –

Late on May 7th, 2026, we received an anonymous tip about an inmate who stabbed a fellow inmate and held two correction officers hostage at the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Detention Center. The tip went on to say half the Corrections Response Team (CERT) had quit and now it is not fully staffed. The CERT team responds to critical incidents within the jail involving highly combative, uncooperative inmates and critical incidents. They usually deal with the worst of the worst cretins who are too mean to be out in society.

We emailed the MDC Public Information office on May 8th and asked them about the incident. It was a few days later that another media outlet did a story about the incident. We followed up on May 12th, and were told they were still working on “this.”

On May 13th, Daniel Trujillo of the MDC Public Information Office said:

“I apologize for the late responses. Unfortunately I’m not going to be able to help you on that. Since CERT is a specialized unit, and handles elevated security matters, you’re going to need to submit an IPRA to get staffing information.”

A criminal complaint was filed with the courts on the incident and charged inmate Stewart Artis with aggravated assault upon a peace officer (deadly weapon), kidnapping, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, and possession of a deadly weapon by a prisoner.

According to the criminal complaint, Artis was taken to the shower cell in shackles and was going to strike a corrections officer. Artis then displayed a “shank” in his hand and told the corrections officers: “I don’t have a problem with you or Charley, y’all are innocent but if you get in my way, I will kill both of you and I will still get him.“

Artis took control of the keys and an MDC radio and escorted two correction officers into a shower cell. He locked the door behind him. The correction officer had a key on him and was able to unlock it from inside using the small food tray access port.

Artis then went to a common area and attacked fellow inmate Ha Nasi Salut Vayi Yisrael with the shank. Artis was seen hitting him in the head with the man made weapon.

The compliant does not indicate how Artis was finally taken into custody, but more than likely the CERT team locked the area down. After locking it down, they took him into custody and made the area safe for inmates and MDC staff.

We asked MDC Public Information Officer for a comment on this incident, and they did not reach back out.