Officer Injured by Inmate at Coxsackie Correctional Facility Sustains Multiple Facial Fractures
November 6 , 2019 Coxsackie, NY –
A correction officer sustained multiple facial fractures during an attack by an inmate on Monday, November 4th, at the maximum security facility.
The attack occurred at approximately 11:40 a.m. The inmate had just entered the school building carrying items that were not allowed in the building. The officer directed the inmate to stand near the wall so he could be frisked for contraband. The inmate immediately turned towards the officer and attacked him, striking him several times in face.
The officer fell to his knees as the attack continued. While on the floor, the officer was able to administer OC Pepper Spray to the inmate’s face. The spray had no effect and the attack continued. Another officer arrived on the scene and was able to take the inmate to the floor using body holds. Additional staff assisted in gaining control of the inmate and placing him in mechanical restraints.
The injured officer was transported to a local hospital and treated for a fractured orbital bone, fractured cheekbone and broken nose. He did not return to duty.
New York State Police were notified of the incident. The inmate, 33 years old, is serving a eight year sentence after being convicted for Burglary 1st and Criminal Use of a Firearm 1st in Rockland County in 2017. He committed an armed home invasion in 2016 in the Town of Nanuet.
“A week after an officer was stabbed multiple times at Green Haven Correctional Facility another officer was violently attacked and left with multiple facial fractures in an unprovoked attack at Coxsackie.
Inmate advocates continue to call for a reduction in discipline for inmates yet the violent assaults on staff continue to occur. There is no denying that the violence inside our correctional facilities is getting worse. We hope the District Attorney’s Office prosecutes this case to the fullest extent of the law and sends a clear message that any inmate who attacks an officer will be held accountable.“ – stated Michael Mazzella, Mid‐Hudson Region Vice President.