GOWANDA, N.Y. — Two officers were attacked in two separate incidents at the Gowanda Correctional Facility last week.
The New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association announced Tuesday afternoon that two separate attacks against two officers happened at the facility on Thursday, August 13 and Saturday, August 15.
The first incident happened at 7:30 a.m. when an inmate started to become belligerent and verbally threatened the female officer. After refusing orders to return to his bed, the inmate lunged over the desk at her.
According to the report, the officer attempted to pepper spray the inmate, but it didn't work. This is when the inmate grabbed her by her shirt and slammed her into a bulletin board and hit her in the face several times. The inmate proceeded to grab the officer by her hair and slam her to the ground.
The inmate, 46-years-old, ran to the bathroom following the incident after the female officer was able to fight back and get the inmate off of her.
The officer was taken to an outside hospital where she was treated for pain and swelling to her right collar bone, left arm abrasions and pain to the right side and back of her head.
The inmate is serving an 18-years-to-life sentence after being convicted for first degree kidnapping, first degree robbery, and two counts of burglary in the first degree from an incident that happened in Erie County in 1996.
He was transferred to Collins Correctional Facility after the incident.
The second incident occurred on Saturday, August 15 at 4:30 p.m. where the report says the inmate attacked an officer after being frisked. The inmate spun off the wall and hit the officer on the right side of the face.
Another officer helped the injured officer grab the inmate and forced him to the floor. The inmate struggled with officers, this is when pepper spray was given to the inmate twice, but didn't work.
Officers were able to tie the inmate's wrists behind his back.
The officer was taken to an outside hospital and treated for a laceration under his right eye, shoulder and forearm pain and two small lacerations to both forearms. The second officer was treated at the facility for left shoulder and knee pain.
The inmate, 31-years-old, is serving a five year sentence after being convicted for two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree. He was placed in a Special Housing Unit following the incident.
