22-year-old Uriel Otero, an inmate from Monterey County, has been killed in an attack at Pelican Bay State Prison.
Fernando Torres Lopez, who is incarcerated for second-degree murder in Santa Clara County, is the suspect in the incident. Both are in prison for crimes related to gang activity.
According to prison officials, at around 5:33 p.m. on Friday, guards and medical staff responded when Lopez allegedly attacked Otero in a housing unit dayroom.
Otero was taken to a medical facility for treatment but was pronounced dead at 6:20 p.m.
Officials have put the place in a limited population lockdown to conduct the investigation. Lopez is placed in segregated housing.
The Del Norte County Coroner has yet to determine Otero’s official cause of death.
