VIENNA, Ill.— For the third time in less than a month a prison guard has been attacked at the Shawnee Correctional Center.
According to a union representative, at approximately 8:30 a.m., Friday, July 25, an unnamed prison guard was head-butted by an inmate.
Sources say the incident occurred when the guard escorted the inmate to a hearing and then once at said hearing the inmate refused to sit down.
The guard is said to have noticed the inmate growing more irritable and decided to escort him to a holding area where he could calm down.
Apparently, en-route the holding cell, the inmate head-butted the guard in the temple causing what has been described as a significant concussion.
The blow was said to be so violent that the impact cut a gash in the inmate’s head.
IDOC Communications Director Tom Shear said this most recent case of an attack on a guard took place while three prison guards were present, thus shooting down the union’s position that these attacks are coming more frequently because of staffing shortage.
There are actually three differing points of view on recent reports of prison inmate violence against prison guards: one is prison officials don’t believe there is a significant problem; two, the union says they are understaffed and three, some believe the practice of hiring many prison guards because they have political connects isn’t making for very good officers.