Ohio prison guard dead after Christmas morning assault by inmate, officials say

Chillicothe, Ohio — A corrections officer died after an assault by an inmate in an Ohio prison on Christmas morning, authorities said Wednesday.

The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction said corrections officer Andrew Lansing died "following an inmate assault" that morning at Ross Correctional Institution in Chillicothe.

"The loss of a staff person is difficult, but to lose a family member on Christmas Day at the hands of someone in our custody is a tragedy beyond comprehension," department director Annette Chambers-Smith said in a statement.

"Instead of going home after his shift to be with his family on this holiday, Officer Lansing made the ultimate sacrifice, and our agency will never be the same," Chambers-Smith said.

No details about the alleged assault or the inmate were immediately released. The prison was said to be "operating under restricted movement" and the Ohio State Highway Patrol was investigating.

"The inmate suspect has been transferred to the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility," the department said.

Lansing was described as "a longtime, well-respected employee" at the prison who "was loved by his colleagues."

"He was a friendly, outgoing officer who treated everyone with respect and was always a professional," the department said.