MARCY, N.Y. — Two corrections officers were injured after an inmate armed with a homemade weapon attacked staff during a wellness check at Mid-State Correctional Facility, according to the New York State Correctional Officers & Police Benevolent Association (NYSCOPBA).
The incident happened on May 29 at the medium-security prison when an officer conducting routine rounds noticed an inmate had covered his cell window with a towel, preventing staff from seeing inside the cell, NYSCOPBA said in a news release.
After multiple attempts to communicate with the inmate were unsuccessful, a response team consisting of three correction officers and a National Guard member entered the cell to conduct a welfare check.
According to NYSCOPBA, staff discovered the inmate hiding in an attached recreation pen. The inmate then charged at responding personnel while wielding a homemade weapon.
A National Guard member used a shield to push the inmate back as he repeatedly attempted to stab staff, the union said.
During the struggle, the inmate allegedly stabbed one correction officer in the forearm and another officer in the knee before staff were able to gain control. The inmate continued resisting while on the ground but was eventually restrained, handcuffed and escorted to a holding cell.
Both injured officers received initial treatment at the facility before being transported to a local urgent care center, where they received sutures for their injuries. Both officers are expected to recover.
Following the incident, staff recovered a sharpened, 6-inch weapon from the inmate’s cell. A preliminary investigation determined the weapon had been fashioned from a piece of plastic broken from the inmate’s electronic tablet, according to NYSCOPBA.
The inmate was later transferred to Auburn Correctional Facility.
Bryan Hluska, NYSCOPBA’s Central Region vice president, said incidents involving inmates who deliberately obstruct staff’s view of a cell can quickly become dangerous.
“Entering a cell where an inmate has deliberately blocked staff’s view can be an extremely dangerous situation for correction officers. Unfortunately, that danger became a reality in this case,” Hluska said. “Armed with a homemade weapon, the inmate clearly intended to attack staff and succeeded in stabbing two officers before being subdued.”
Hluska credited the responding officers and National Guard member with quickly controlling the situation and preventing additional injuries.
He also raised concerns about disciplinary options available under New York’s HALT Act, which limits the use of segregated confinement.
“While the inmate has been transferred to a maximum-security facility, the internal disciplinary measures available because of the HALT Act are limited,” Hluska said. “Until the State Legislature implements the HALT Committee recommendations, the most meaningful accountability in situations like this may come through criminal prosecution.”
Hluska added that pursuing felony assault charges and securing additional incarceration time could help deter future attacks on correctional staff.
