HAZELTON, W.Va. — A staff member was assaulted in the Hazelton prison complex Monday, the sixth such assault this year.
A public information officer said in an email Wednesday that, at about 7 p.m. Monday at FCI Hazelton, “staff responded to an inmate who failed to comply with orders and who was physically combative. Staff immediately secured the area. One staff member was assaulted, however, they did not sustain any injuries.”
FCI Hazelton is a medium-security facility in northern Preston County that currently houses 1,438 male offenders.
One staff member was injured Saturday and four on Friday at USP Hazelton. The officer confirmed those incidents Wednesday as well. They were previously reported to the public by Richard Heldreth, president of Local 420 of the American Federation of Government Employees.
On Saturday, about 10:30 a.m., one staff member sustained minor injuries that did not require outside medical care, according to the release.
On Friday, at about 9:15 a.m., an inmate failed to comply with orders and was physically combative. Four staff members sustained minor injuries that did not require outside medical care, according to the officer.
USP Hazelton is a high- security penitentiary that currently houses 1,146 male offenders.
Workers at the Hazelton complex say that the U.S. Bureau of Prison’s failure to fill vacant positions puts workers at risk and adds to the drug and violence problem there. Last year three inmates were killed by other inmates, including high-profile gangster James “Whitey” Bulger.
The Hazelton complex includes a high-security penitentiary with minimum-security satellite camp, a medium-security correctional institution and a female facility.
All the incidents are still being investigated, according to the pubic information officer.
Story by Kathy Plum