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Friday, June 28, 2019

Unrest Continues at Elmira Correctional Facility-Inmate Fights, Drugs & Weapon Seized

Elmira, NY – Following a series of incidents in which several officers were injured and visitors arrested attempting to bring drugs into the maximum security prison, several inmate on inmate fights broke out and contraband seized this past Tuesday. 
- At 1:10 p.m. an officer conducting random pat frisks of inmates discovered a ceramic blade that had a handle wrapped in electrical tape in an inmate’s pants pocket.  The weapon was taken as evidence and the inmate was placed in a Special Housing Unit.  He faces internal disciplinary charges.
- At 2: 35 p.m. an officer observed an inmate leaving the chapel bleeding from the face.  The injured inmate was escorted to the infirmary when he broke free from officers and attacked another inmate.  He was taken to the ground by staff but continued to struggle.  During the struggle he struck an officer.  He was eventually brought under control and placed in restraints. After the incident,  officers conducted a pat frisk of inmates that were in the chapel.  A officer discovered Synthetic Marijuana and Suboxone in the wallet of an inmate.   The drugs were taken into evidence and the inmate was placed in a Special Housing Unit.  The two inmates involved in the fight were also placed in a Special Housing Unit after being treated by medical staff for minor injuries.   All three face internal disciplinary charges. 
- At 3:10 p.m. officers observed two inmates fighting in the recreation yard.  Four inmates joined in the fight and within a short period of time,  three more joined in.  Officers gave several orders to the inmates to stop fighting but they were ignored.  OC spray was administered and the inmates stopped fighting and got on the ground.  Simultaneously,  a second fight broke out in which three inmates attacked one inmate.  Officers observed one inmate using a slashing motion.  Several orders were given to stop fighting and the inmates complied.  One inmate sustained a five inch laceration to his face consistent with a cutting.  He was treated at the facility and transported to an outside hospital for further treatment.  A search of the grounds turned up one ceramic blade.  Officers conducted a more extensive search of the yard and recovered two additional make-shift weapons on the ground and Synthetic Marijuana on an inmate.  All inmates involved were placed in a Special Housing Unit and face internal disciplinary charges.   
- At 9:45  p.m. during an escort of inmates from the mess hall,  officers observed two inmate on inmate fights.  One inmate was observed making a slashing motion.  Several orders were given by officers and the inmates stopped fighting.  One inmate sustained several lacerations to the face and head consistent with a cutting weapon.  He was taken to an outside hospital for treatment.  Officers recovered a Exacto blade from the floor near the incident.  All inmates involved were placed in a Special Housing Unit.  
 
 “On the heels of several attacks on staff and visitors arrested at Elmira the past two weeks,  the unrest at the prison continues this week.  Make-shift weapons and drugs were once again at the center of four incidents that occurred on Tuesday.  Two inmates were cut seriously enough to need hospital attention and thankfully no staff were hurt.  This type of disorder is exactly why significant disciplinary measures need to exist to deter this type of behavior.  Without them,  it exposes staff and other inmates to potentially dangerous situations at the hands of inmates who realize there are no repercussions for violent behavior.“  – stated Joe Miano, Western Region Vice President.