A detainee at Canberra's prison has died, prompting a police investigation and a lockdown at the centre.
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A spokesman for ACT police confirmed late on Sunday night a detainee had died at the Alexander Maconochie Centre and a report would be prepared for the coroner.
A spokesperson for the Justice and Community Safety Directorate had earlier confirmed the centre had been placed into lockdown.
"The Justice and Community Safety Directorate can confirm that an incident occurred at the Alexander Maconochie Centre (AMC) at approximately 1pm," the spokeswoman said.
"While ACT Policing investigates the incident, the AMC has been placed into lockdown."
Visitors with sessions booked to attend the Alexander Maconochie Centre were on Sunday told their visits had been cancelled, The Canberra Times understands.
A 27-year-old man died in the Alexander Maconochie Centre in February 2022.
A design flaw in a cell door which had been reported in 2015 created a situation whereby the detainee could take his own life at the prison, a critical incident review found.
An inquiry into the 2016 death of Indigenous inmate Stephen Freeman, 25, at the prison found wide-ranging failures of the ACT's justice system and prompted the establishment of an independent prison inspector.
The prison was locked down in November 2019 after a hole was found in the prison's fence, forcing an intensive search of the facility.
The emergency declaration that prompted the lockdown was the first in the prison's history.
Lockdowns were also used to limit the risk of COVID-19 infections spreading within the prison in earlier stages of the pandemic.
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Jasper Lindell
Jasper Lindell joined The Canberra Times in 2018. He is a Legislative Assembly reporter, covering ACT politics and government. He also writes about development, transport, heritage, local history, literature and the arts, as well as contributing to the Times' Panorama magazine. He was previously a Sunday Canberra Times reporter.
Jasper Lindell joined The Canberra Times in 2018. He is a Legislative Assembly reporter, covering ACT politics and government. He also writes about development, transport, heritage, local history, literature and the arts, as well as contributing to the Times' Panorama magazine. He was previously a Sunday Canberra Times reporter.
