Stillwater prison incident injures four workers - KMSP-TV

Stillwater prison inmate attacks four workers

An inmate attacked four workers at the Stillwater prison on Wednesday, the Minnesota Department of Corrections confirmed.

The DOC said the altercation began in the prison's food service area when an inmate approached the staff members with a complaint. He then attacked the four staff members without warning.

A correctional officer and a contract food service employee were sent to the hospital as a result of the incident, both were treated and released. Two other employees received minor injuries.

Additional officers were immediately dispatched to the scene and the offender was taken into custody.

"This incident underscores how dangerous this work can be," said corrections commissioner Tom Roy. "We have been working very hard to make sure that our staff has the training and the tools they need to respond when incidents like this occur."

Roy said the number of offender-on-staff assaults has dropped dramatically over the past two years. In 2011, there were 42 offender-on-staff assaults in Minnesota's ten correctional facilities, in 2011 there were 16 and in 2012 there were 17.