SACREMENTO, CA - An inmate took female officer, Shelia Mitchell, hostage Saturday morning at the California State Prison-Sacramento. According to officials, the incident started around 7 a.m. when Michael Watson, 41, used a handmade weapon, allegedly made of metal and estimated to be six inches long, to move the officer into a dining room area.

California's Crisis Response Team (CRT) was immediately contacted, and the institution was placed on lockdown. All inmates were accounted for and staff helped to secure the surrounding areas of the hostage situation. Officials also initiated a state of emergency at the facility and immediately began to negotiate with the inmate for the Co's safe release.

After hours of negotiations, the hostage situation successfully ended at 5:00 p.m. Neither the officer nor the inmate were harmed during the incident.

According to released reports, Watson is serving a 26-year sentence for 1st-degree robbery and three counts of false imprisonment. He has been taken into custody and Mitchell was taken to an outside hospital for medical evaluation.

James E. Tilton, Secretary of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, extended his thanks to corrections staff, officers, CRT team members and the warden for their “professionalism, heroic efforts, and dedication” throughout the incident.