An officer at the state correctional facility in Rush City is expected to recover after being attacked by an incarcerated person with a makeshift weapon during the afternoon of Aug. 9, the Minnesota Department of Corrections said in a news release.
The officer suffered a “puncture wound” and was taken by ambulance to a local hospital where the officer is currently undergoing treatment for non-life-threatening injuries, the release says. Three other officers who subdued and restrained the incarcerated person were also evaluated at the hospital and released.
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How did the attack at the Minnesota prison occur?
The staff at the facility – located about 70 miles east of St. Cloud – were doing routine cell searches when they encountered an incarcerated person suspected of possessing homemade alcohol. When officers approached, the individual attacked, using a makeshift weapon, or “shank,” the release says.
The facility was locked down following the attack, and the incarcerated person involved is being transferred to a maximum-security facility in Oak Park Heights.
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Will the attack at the Minnesota prison be investigated?
The Minnesota Department of Corrections’ Office of Special Investigations is already investigating the incident. When completed, the case will be referred to prosecutors for review and “consideration of felony assault charges,” the release says.
“This senseless act of violence serves as a stark reminder of the dangers correctional staff face every day in service to public safety,” said Minnesota Department of Corrections Commissioner Paul Schnell. “We are grateful for the swift and courageous actions of our staff, and we are providing them the care and support they need.”
The incarcerated person responsible for the attack is serving a life sentence for first-degree murder, the release says.
How many people are incarcerated at the Rush City facility?
There were a total of 954 adults incarcerated individuals on-site at the Rush City facility as of Aug. 11, according to the Minnesota Department of Corrections. It’s one of 11 state-run correctional facilities in the state.
This article originally appeared on St. Cloud Times: What to know about Rush City prison attack after four officers injured