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The assault occurred on Monday, Nov. 18, just after 10:30 a.m., as inmates were returning to their cells from morning recreation, according to the New York State Correctional Officers & Police Benevolent Association (NYSCOPBA). The incident began when an inmate was seen yelling in the stairwell between two cell blocks.
The officer ordered the inmate to return to his cell, but he refused. When the officer approached and repeated the order, the inmate punched him in the face, grabbed his uniform jacket, and threw him down the stairs, NYSCOPBA stated. The inmate then climbed on top of the officer and continued to assault him.
A second officer responded, placing the inmate in a body hold and pulling him off the injured officer. The inmate managed to break free and lunged at the injured officer again. Additional staff were called to the scene, and the inmate was subdued after a struggle and placed in handcuffs.
Once restrained, the inmate followed orders, according to NYSCOPBA.
The injured officer was taken by ambulance to Westchester Medical Center, where he was treated for knee, ankle, and facial injuries. X-rays later revealed a broken bone in his left foot, the union reported.
Two other officers involved in subduing the inmate also sustained injuries to their wrists, hips, backs, and necks. They were treated by medical staff at the facility and remained on duty.
The inmate, age 32, who is serving a two-to-four-year sentence for third-degree criminal possession of a weapon after a 2023 conviction in New York County, was transferred to Coxsackie Correctional Facility following the incident. Officials did not release the inmate’s name.
“Another serious assault at Sing Sing that resulted in another officer sustaining a significant injury that will keep him out of work for months,” said David Luther, NYSCOPBA Southern Region Vice President, who added, “This latest attack comes on the heels of an officer getting slashed in the face by an inmate at the prison.”
The inmate involved in the attack is scheduled for conditional release in six months. However, Luther called on the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office to prosecute the inmate for felony assault.
“Successful prosecution that results in longer sentences for violent inmates who attack staff is literally the last line of defense we have to keep them safe and deter inmates from future attacks,” Luther said. “Not every situation warrants it or is feasible to prosecute, but this attack certainly does.”
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