Less than a year after assault left MA correction officer on life support, attack injures officers, one stabbed multiple times

Less than a year after an attack left a correction officer on life support, another inmate attack on officers has taken place in Shirley, Massachusetts.

According to the Massachusetts Correction Officers Federated Union, on Monday at approximately 6:00 p.m., a correction officer was assaulted and stabbed multiple times by an inmate at the Souza Baranowski Correctional Center.

An alarm of multiple inmates fighting was called, and officers immediately responded to the unit. Once on scene, the inmates
that were fighting immediately turned on the officers and began assaulting them. An inmate brandished a makeshift knife and began to stab an officer in the head and upper back multiple times.

The officer was able to take the inmate to the ground where he continued being stabbed in the head and face. Officers were quick to subdue the inmates and gain control of the situation.

Several officers were injured due to the attack. Two officers were transported to outside hospitals including the officer who was stabbed. The Union stated that the officers were spared life threatening injuries.

“We have entered an unprecedented era of “an epidemic of violent assaults against Officers within Massachusetts Correctional facilities happening on a weekly, if not daily basis” said MCOFU Legislative Lobbyist Guy W. Glodis.

Dennis Martin President of MCOFU said, “the legislature has focused entirely on inmate reforms and entitlements with zero emphasis on Correction Officer safety, and this must change before an officer is killed.”

Kevin Flanagan Legislative Representative for MCOFU said, “it’s ironic that just last week I was testifying before the Joint Committee on Judiciary, on House Bill 1828 “An Act Relative to Correction Officer Safety”. I mentioned these violent attacks on our Officers are increasing exponentially at an alarming rate, more than I have seen in my 23 years as a Correction Officer.”

Last summer, also in Shirley, a correction officer was on life support after being attacked by an inmate.