Mike Ward Sep. 25, 2015 Updated: Sep. 25, 2015 2:41 p.m.
AUSTIN — About 42 teenage offenders broke windows, climbed onto roofs and brawled in a disturbance at the Giddings State School that left at least three youths injured, officials said Friday.
Officials with the Texas Juvenile Justice Department said the incident, the second disturbance at the lockup in the past week, began about 8:50 a.m. Thursday when youths ran from the school building and began fighting in outside areas.
Authorities said the incident was contained by 11 a.m.
Initial reports from the center, which houses about 200 youths ordered into the state custody for committing assorted crimes, were that the incident involved several rival gangs.
Investigators said a number of older youths apparently were ringleaders in the violence.
On Sunday, around 20 youths damaged property and broke windows, climbed on a roof and engaged in fights in another gang-linked incident.
The incidents mark the latest trouble for the juvenile justice agency, which has been plagued for several years by gang activity at several of its five youth lockups across the state.