By Lisa Backus
Journal Inquirer, Manchester, Conn.
CHESHIRE, Conn. — An inmate at Cheshire Correctional Institution accused of attacking several guards Monday night, punching two of them in the face, has been arrested, Connecticut State Police said.
Sherod Hackett, 29, is charged with second-degree assault, third-degree assault breach of peace and failure to provide fingerprints in connection with the incident, state police said.
A report written by the state Department of Correction said staff conducting a “shake down” search in Hackett’s cell Monday night found an altered hot plate. Hackett then left his cell, which was unlocked, and went to a nearby officers’ station and began throwing punches, hitting two correction officers in the face, the report said.
Several other officers who were involved in the fray to get Hackett under control also were injured, according to the report. State police said they were called to investigate and found that Hackett refused to give a statement or sign paperwork and refused to be fingerprinted as he was being arrested.
Andrius Banevicius, a spokesperson for the DOC, said the attack took place at about 8:50 p.m. following the discovery of contraband in an inmate’s cell. Banevicius said the inmate later approached the officers’ station in the housing unit and immediately began to throw closed-fist strikes at the two officers stationed there. The inmate was not named when Banevicius issued the statement, saying the incident was under investigation by state police.
A total of six correction officers sustained injuries as a result of the incident, Banevicius said, adding four of them were taken to a local hospital for treatment via a facility vehicle while two others opted to stay on duty.
State correctional ombudsman DeVaughn Ward said Friday his office also was investigating the incident.
“Any injury to correctional staff is serious,” Ward said. “At the same time, the reported circumstances of this incident warrant independent review. My office is reviewing how one incarcerated person, publicly listed as 5-feet, 9-inches tall and approximately 160 pounds, allegedly injured six correctional staff members where no weapon has been reported. We are also reviewing the physical condition of the incarcerated person involved, the sequence of events, and any use of force that occurred. My office has requested all available footage, incident reports, and related records from the Department of Correction and will review the full record before reaching any conclusions.”
Ward expressed concerns over inmate arrests earlier in the week in a report detailing what he called an overuse of force by guards trying to deal with a a potential contraband issue. During that incident, no contraband was found but several inmates who were not involved were subject to pepper spray, Ward said.
“My thoughts are with the injured officers and their families as I pray for their swift and full recovery,” DOC Interim Commissioner Sharonda Carlos said. “We are conducting a thorough review of the incident to minimize the chances for a reoccurrence of a similar incident.”
The news of the attack comes after a similar incident last year at the same facility in which an inmate threw searing hot coffee in the officer’s face and then attempted to slash them with an improvised weapon, also known as a shank.
Staff Writer Josh LaBella contributed to this story.
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