A corrections officer at Five Points Correctional Facility was hospitalized after being struck in the face with a mixture of urine and feces thrown by an inmate. The assault occurred on July 2 in the Residential Mental Health Unit when two officers were delivering food trays. One officer was hit in the face, eyes, and mouth and was taken to Geneva General Hospital for treatment. The second officer, struck on the uniform, remained on duty.
The incident was part of a string of violent events at the maximum-security prison over four days, including two inmate fights and the recovery of a ceramic weapon.
Later that same day, staff recovered a black ceramic razor blade from an inmate’s pants pocket during a routine search. The inmate, who failed to return a plastic spork after leaving the mess hall, complied with a pat frisk where the blade was discovered. He now faces disciplinary charges.
On July 5, two separate fights broke out between inmates in the facility’s mess halls. Staff had to physically restrain and handcuff those involved after orders to stop were ignored. In one of the fights, officers used OC spray, which failed to subdue the inmates, forcing staff to bring them to the ground using body holds.
That same day, three officers and a National Guardsman were involved in subduing another inmate who refused to return to his cell and became aggressive. The inmate, who initially complied with a pat frisk, resisted handcuffing and attempted to incite others before being restrained and removed without injuries reported.
“These are common occurrences that the men and women working in prisons are subjected to,” said Kenny Gold, NYSCOPBA Western Region Vice President. “Daily assaults leave officers out of work for days or months, and the injuries often go unnoticed by lawmakers. Throwing bodily fluids at staff is a felony, but many inmates show no concern for the consequences.”
The incidents remain under investigation.
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