3 inmates charged in attack on correction officers at Massachusetts prison
LANCASTER - Three inmates have been charged after they allegedly attacked several correction officers inside a maximum security prison in Massachusetts earlier this month.
5 officers attacked
The attack happened at the Souza Baranowski Correctional Center in Lancaster on Sept. 18. State officials said the three inmates attacked five correction officers, with two getting stabbed multiple times. The three other correction officers were injured while responding to the attack and all five were taken to the hospital.
Jose Crepo, Heriberto Rivera-Negron and Jeffrey Tapia were all charged with mayhem, armed assault to murder and assault to murder. They'll be arraigned next month.
"Attacks against our officers will not be tolerated and the serious charges filed against the three individuals demonstrates that the Massachusetts Department of Correction will take action. This type of violence is unacceptable and now those involved will be held accountable in the court of law," said interim Department of Correction Commissioner Shawn Jenkins in a statement.
Union calls for change
The Massachusetts Correction Officers Federated Union is also calling for changes to keep their officers safe, as getting attacked has become an ongoing safety problem at the prison.
"MCOFU is grateful to the Worcester County District Attorney's office for their help working with us in getting the appropriate charges filed against the inmates involved in this ambush attack on our officers," the union said in a statement.
