Four inmates were slashed by other inmates in four separate incidents last week at the Elmira Correctional Facility with one victim having to be airlifted to Strong Memorial Hospital, according to the New York State Correctional Officers & Police Benevolent Association (NYSCOPBA).
On Sunday, May 19, five incarcerated individuals were observed by a Correctional Officer fighting during the evening meal in the mess hall with one seen making slashing motions at another. When additional COs responded, two individuals stopped fighting and went to the ground. Officers grabbed two of the three inmates who continued fighting and forced them to the ground. The final individual went to the ground on his own. All five inmates were then taken to the infirmity where one was found to have a seven-inch laceration to the head and neck.
A search of the mess hall turned up a plastic shank. A search of the individuals’ cells recovers two cutting-type weapons underneath one inmate’s mattress.
On Tuesday, May 21, one person had to be airlifted to Strong Memorial Hospital after a fight left him with serious lacerations and puncture wounds to his face, neck, and upper body. The incident occurred in the second-floor dayroom when two inmates began fighting. The fight ended when additional staff arrived.
The inmate accused of stabbing the other with an icepick-type weapon is serving a life sentence for the 2015 shooting death of a New York City Police Officer.
That same day an individual was cut on the hand with a sharpened piece of metal that was melted into a pen. This event occurred during HALT Programming in the Residential Rehabilitation Unit when three inmates began fighting a fourth. The fight ultimately ended after OC spray was used three times.
On Wednesday, May 22, four prisoners were observed fighting in the fieldhouse. Chemical agents were used by guards when four more inmates were seen running to join the fight. One individual sustained lacerations to his cheek and ear.
An investigation found a ceramic scalpel in the mouth of the inmates involved. It was determined that was the weapon used in the attack.
“One fortunate outcome of the inmate violence at Elmira last weeks was that no officers were injured in the four fights, especially with the fact that weapons were involved. The officers did an excellent job, as always, by stopping the fights from escalating, involving additional inmates and minimizing the number injured. It is ironic that in the one inmate fight it occurred during HALT programing, the same legislation that has stripped disciplinary measures down to the core and has driven inmate on inmate violence and inmate on staff violence to record levels. The violence will never stop until the discipline is addressed and strengthened. When you have an inmate who is serving a life sentence for shooting and killing an NYPD officer in the head, there is nothing to stop him in prison from killing an officer or another inmate when he knows there are no ramifications. The reality is, this violence will continue until someone is killed and that will be a very solemn day when that occurs, and at this rate it will happen sooner rather than later unless these law makers open their eyes before session ends in June!”-stated Kenny Gold, Western Region Vice President.
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