VCU: 1 Dead After Fight Between Inmates at Tuscaloosa County Jail

An inmate in the Tuscaloosa County Jail is dead after an altercation with another person being detained there, investigators said Friday morning.

Captain Jack Kennedy, the commander of the Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Unit, told the Thread that his team is investigating a fight between inmates that reportedly happened around 1:15 a.m. Friday.

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One inmate was badly injured, found unresponsive by jail staff, treated on-site and taken to DCH Regional Medical Center, where he later succumbed to his injuries.

Kennedy did not publicly identify the inmate who died.

The other inmate allegedly involved in the fight, 39-year-old Patrick Means, has been charged with manslaughter for his role in the death.

The VCU is made up of investigators from multiple local agencies, and Kennedy said that because the death occurred at the jail, officers and supervisors not affiliated with the Sheriff’s Office are conducting the investigation.

UPDATE, August 26th: Police have identified the victim as Tarius Washington, age 29.

For updates as they are made available and more coverage of crime in west Alabama, stay connected to the Tuscaloosa Thread.