(TJV NEWS) Multiple correctional officers were injured during a violent stabbing attack carried out by illegal alien gang members inside a Virginia prison on Friday, according to authorities.

The assault took place around 9:45 a.m. at Wallens Ridge State Prison, a high-security facility located in Big Stone Gap. According to the Virginia Department of Corrections (VADOC), at least six inmates were involved in the “apparently premeditated” attack that left five officers injured—three of them with stab wounds.

Five of the assailants have been identified as MS-13 gang members from El Salvador who are in the U.S. illegally. Each has been convicted of serious violent crimes, including murder and rape. The sixth attacker is a U.S. citizen affiliated with the Sureño 13 gang and is serving time for second-degree murder.

Two of the injured officers were hospitalized in stable condition, while three others received outside medical treatment.

“Five of the individuals responsible for this senseless attack should never have been in this country in the first place,” said VADOC Director Chad Dotson. “Our officers are heroes, and I commend the team at Wallens Ridge for their swift response.”

Dotson highlighted the ongoing risks correctional officers face daily and emphasized the importance of their role in protecting the public.

An investigation into the incident remains ongoing.