GOWANDA, N.Y. (WKBW) — Officials from the Gowanda Correctional Facility announced two officers were injured in two separate incidents at the facility within the past week.
The first incident occurred on August 13 at approximately 7:30 a.m. when an officer assigned to a housing unit was giving instructions and was allegedly attacked by an inmate. The inmate approached the officer and refused several orders to return to his sleeping quarters, that's when officials say he became belligerent and allegedly attacked the officer.
Pepper spray was administered on the inmate but was not effective according to officials, the inmate allegedly slammed the officer against a bulletin board, struck the officer in the face several times and struck the officers head on the ground.
The officer was able to strike back and the inmate fled, the inmate was placed in mechanical restraints by other officers without incident. The officer was treated at an outside hospital for pain and swelling to the right collar bone, left arm abrasions and pain to the head.
"The inmate, 46, is serving an 18 years to life sentence after being convicted for Kidnapping 1st, Robbery 1st and two counts of Burglary 1st in Erie County in 1996. He was transferred to Collins Correctional Facility after the incident," a release states.
The second incident occurred August 15 at approximately 4:30 p.m. when an inmate allegedly attacked an officer as he was being frisked before being taken into a special housing unit.
The officer was allegedly struck in the face and with the help of another officer the inmate was taken under control. The officer was treated at an outside hospital for a laceration under the eye, shoulder and forearm pain and two small lacerations to both forearms.
"The inmate, 31, is serving a five year sentence after being convicted for two counts of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 3rd in Jefferson County in 2019. He was placed in a Special Housing Unit following the incident," a release states.
