Elmira , NY – An officer was cut on the nose by an inmate who reached through the cell bars and cut the officer with an unknown object at the maximum security prison.
Four other officers were slightly injured attempting to get the inmate under control and into restraints after the assault.
The attacked occurred on Friday, January 10 at approximately 9:15 a.m. The inmate, who was in his cell at the time of the attack, called the officer over to his cell. When the officer approached the cell, the inmate allegedly reached through the bars with the object in his hand and struck the officer in the right side of the nose. The officer retreated and called for assistance.
Additional staff arrived on the scene and the inmate’s cell door was opened. The inmate allegedly immediately started to come at officers. OC Pepper Spray was administered but had no effect. The inmate charged one officer, grabbed him around the waist, and drove him into a set of cell bars. Staff grabbed the inmate and forced him to the floor where he continued to struggle and ignore orders. Officers were able to get restraints on the inmate and he stopped struggling.
During questioning, the inmate told staff he flushed the object down the toilet after cutting the officer. During a search of his cell, officers located a sharpened eyeglass part that had a handle attached to it. The make-shift weapon was placed into evidence.
The inmate, 25 years old, was placed in a Special Housing Unit. He is serving a nine year sentence after being convicted in Kings County for Robbery 1st, Attempted Murder 2nd, Criminal Possession of a Weapon 2nd and Assault 2nd.
The officer who was cut was taken to a local hospital and treated for a one inch laceration to his nose. He did not return to duty.
The four officers who sustained minor injuries were treated by facility medical staff. They all remained on duty.
“Make-shift weapons and drugs have been a constant problem at Elmira Correctional Facility. As inmate advocates continue to call for reduced disciplinary measures, our staff continue to be the subject of unprovoked attacks. This was an attack by an inmate who has a history of violence and we are thankful that all the officers injured were not seriously hurt. This 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 Mark Deburgomaster, Western Region Vice President.
