Ten escape Yerington’s Rite of Passage Silver State Academy during riot, fire

Law enforcement and firemen from several agencies in the Yerington area responded to a report of a fire and riot at the Rite of Passage Silver State Academy Saturday night.

Lyon County sheriffs’ spokesman Michael Carlton said the initial call from ROP was to report a fire. He said two buildings were fully engulfed in flames when his deputies and firemen arrived and were destroyed.

Lyon County deputies, the Nevada Highway Patrol, Yerington Police and Yerington Tribal Police were all called to help find the 10 youths who fled the camp during the incident that apparently started with a fight. Fire crews from Mason Valley Fire Protection and Yerington volunteer firemen responded to the blaze.

“We pretty much secured the perimeter of the school for them,” Carlton said. “We caught six of (the 10) initially. By 8 in the morning (Sunday), we caught the remaining four in Yerington itself.”

He said the escapees were returned to the custody of ROP officials at the camp.

Rite Of Passage is located on the Yerington Indian Reservation and serves young men described as having “a troubled past” with counseling, high school education and athletic programs. The program is an alternative to incarceration for at risk youths who have gotten into trouble with the law.