UPDATE: The correctional officer, c/o (name still unconfirmed) said he observed the inmate get off the phone with his girlfriend and appeared to be agitated. At that point the inmate found a broom from the cleaning cart that other inmates were using to clean the showers with. The inmate took the broom and began chasing the c/o. The c/o ran down a stairwell and thought he had gotten away from the inmate but the inmate started after the c/o again. The chase continued till the c/o got to the wing door but the other officers didn’t get the door opened fast enough and at that point the c/o was trapped between the door and the inmate who began to beat the c/o with the broom. The c/o was taken to Lawrence County Memorial Hospital at approximately 7-7:15 p.m. and was released over three hours later at 12:30 a.m. The c/o is new to the Lawrence Correctional Center and has only worked there for 4-5 months.
LAWRENCE CO.—Preliminary reports are that last night, Thursday, February 21, 2013 at the Lawrence Correctional Center (LCC) in Sumner, Ill. a correctional officer was assaulted by an inmate wielding a broom stick. The attack happened after the inmate got off the phone with his girlfriend and then he tried to hit the officer in the face with the broom stick but the officer protected his head with his arms. The officer sustained multiple lacerations to forearms, hands, knees and may have severe damage in one thumb. The officer was taken to a local hospital where he was treated for his injuries and released within an hour.
LCC’s operational capacity is 2,445 and is a medium security adult male facility. This is reportedly the worst staff assault at LCC since it opened in November 2001.
We have a name on the assaulted officer but are waiting for confirmation.
Keep checking back for updates.