Rikers Island Correction Officer Attacked By Inmate With Piece Of Wood, Police Say
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – A Rikers Island correction officer was attacked by an inmate early this morning.
Authorities said the officer was hit in the head with a piece of wood around 4:30 a.m.
He was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
"Today's attack on a Correction Officer on Rikers Island is deeply troubling. The safety and security of our personnel is a top priority and we have zero tolerance for violent behavior towards our officers and non-uniform staff," Deputy Commissioner for Public Information Peter Thorne said in a statement.
The president of the Correction Officers' Benevolent Association offered more details, saying the officer was stabbed in the neck with a "wooden object" by a member of the Bloods gang.
"This violent, unprovoked attack, is yet another example of how the City's soft on crime approach has emboldened the inmates to commit more crimes behind bars, knowing full well that they will suffer no consequences for their actions," Elias Husamudeen said in a statement. "The culture of violence brought to us from the streets is going to return to the streets if inmates like this are let go. Instead of giving inmates who assault our members a free pass or making us wait seven years for safer jails, the City needs to start listening to us and make the jails safer now!"
The officer has been released from the hospital, and the inmate was removed from the general population.