Souza-Baranowski Prison Locked Down After 3 Guards Hurt In Fight
SHIRLEY (CBS) - The Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center in Shirley was locked down Friday after three guards were hurt in a fight.
Jason Dobson, a spokesman for the Department of Correction, said it started when a correction officer was "surrounded and then assaulted by inmates" in the maximum-security prison's general population unit late Friday morning. Another officer called for help, more officers came in and they secured the area "within minutes," according to Dobson.
"Six inmates have been removed from the unit and the matter remains under investigation. The District Attorney is being notified of this serious assault," Dobson said in a statement. "These inmates will be facing internal discipline and DOC staff will provide the Worcester District Attorney's office with all available facts and evidence relating to the assaults."
Three correction officers were taken to hospitals for treatment. Their names have not been made public. The Lancaster Fire Chief said all three have head injuries. There's no word yet on their conditions.
"They suffered severe injuries, facial injuries, broken bones, missing teeth," said Kevin Flanagan, a former correction officer who previously worked at Souza-Baranowski.
The union for correction officers in Massachusetts blames the new federal criminal justice reform law.
"It gave inmates more freedoms more time out of cells," Flanagan said. Flanagan argues inmates should get more time out of their cells, but only if it is earned.
Back in August, five corrections officers were hurt in an attack at the prison in central Massachusetts, which is home to more than 1,000 maximum-security inmates.
There was also a riot there back in January 2017 involving dozens of inmates who ransacked the cell block throwing furniture and crafting makeshift weapons after refusing to return to their cells.
Aaron Hernandez hanged himself at Souza-Baranowski in April 2017.
The inmates involved in the attack on Friday could face new charges.
