In a recent altercation at Auburn Correctional Facility, five officers were injured when a prisoner, convicted of murder in 2019, refused to comply with orders to enter his cell. The incident, which took place on December 6, escalated when the 25-year-old prisoner became violent, according to a news release by the New York State Correctional Officers & Police Benevolent Association (NYSCOPBA) on Wednesday.
The confrontation began with the prisoner attempting to headbutt an officer and continued as he resisted restraint, spitting at staff members. Despite being brought to the ground, he remained combative. Eventually, six officers managed to subdue him using body holds. The situation intensified when the prisoner lunged again, headbutting an officer in the forehead. One officer suffered a forearm laceration from a makeshift weapon and had to be treated at Auburn Community Hospital. Additional injuries among the officers included ankle, elbow, knee, shoulder, and forehead injuries, treated by the facility’s medical staff. The officers remained on duty following the incident. A subsequent search did not reveal any weapon.
The union’s news release also highlighted the increasing violence in correctional facilities. According to the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, there has been a 15% increase in inmate-on-staff assaults from 2022, which itself saw a 36% rise from 2021. Inmate-on-inmate assaults have also surged by 35%. The union is urging the New York State Legislature to address this concerning trend in prison violence when it reconvenes in January.
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