By C1 Staff
FREELAND, Mich. — A Saginaw Correctional Facility corrections officer is in stable condition after being assaulted over the weekend.
WNEM reports that Kevin Ott is in serious but stable condition at a local hospital, according to family members. They blame a shortage of staffing at the facility, leaving officers in vulnerable positions.
“My brother still is in ICU. He will be there for another day at least after talking to him. We’re not sure when he’s going to come out. He’s pretty messed up,” said Paul Ott, brother to Kevin. “It is getting scary in there. We are short staffed. Inmates are a whole other breed. It’s just off the hook, what we call it. It’s scary as heck.”
Staff has been cut drastically, especially for level 2 inmates, according to an official with the Michigan Corrections Organization.
MLive reports that Ott was ambushed on Friday by an inmate with a lock in a sock and was struck five times in the head. He was then stabbed multiple times, causing a collapsed lung. As of Monday he is recovering and hospital officials are hoping to move him out of observation soon.
The inmate accused in the attack has been identified and interviewed. He will be relocated to another facility where the investigation will continue.