A Manhattan inmate attacked a correction officer, breaking his nose and fracturing bones around his eye, officials said Tuesday.
The violent encounter happened at the Manhattan Detention Complex around 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday when an inmate refused to get in his cell, according to the city Department of Correction.
The officer, whose name was not released, suffered five broken bones around his eye and a broken nose, according to the Correction Officers Benevolent Association.
EMS transported the officer to a local hospital for treatment, and he was expected to undergo surgery Tuesday afternoon, according to DOC officials and the union.
“The safety and well-being of our officers is paramount and we do not tolerate attacks on staff, who work to make our jails safer for all,” said DOC press secretary Jason Kersten. “We are investigating and are pursuing re-arrest of the individual behind this attack.”
The inmate, whose name was not confirmed by the DOC, was believed to be jailed on charges of assault and robbery, according to the union.
A spokesman for the DOC said the inmate was being removed from the general population following the incident.
“This heinous attack serves as a stark reminder to all our city elected officials that simply having a Borough jail is not enough to decrease the violence our members face every day,” union head Elias Husamudeen said.