RUGBY — An inmate suicide has been reported at the Heart of America Correctional and Treatment Center (HACTC) in Rugby.

According to Pierce County Sheriff Josh Siegler, a HACTC correctional officer discovered an inmate hanging in his jail cell shortly after 2 a.m. The prisoner was reportedly the sole occupant of the cell. The officer immediately contacted Pierce County Sheriff’s dispatch and requested medical personnel.

Members of Heart of America Ambulance Service, Pierce County Sheriff’s Office, Rugby Police Department and the Pierce County coroner responded to the jail. The inmate, a 51-year-old man from Harvey, was pronounced dead at the scene. The inmate was transported to the North Dakota Forensic Lab for an autopsy. The incident remains under investigation by the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation.