Inmate in Anamosa, Iowa prison killed two staff members

[47of74]

Two staff members at the prison in Anamosa, Iowa died after being attacked by an inmate.

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Officials with the Iowa Department of Corrections said two staff members are dead after an assault by an inmate at the Anamosa State Penitentiary on Tuesday.

In a news release, officials with the department said the inmate attacked multiple staff members at around 10:15 a.m. in the prison’s infirmary, and a department nurse and a correctional officer died as a result of their injuries.

Security staff restrained the inmate. Staff attempted first aid while awaiting paramedics.

The department said it is currently working to collect and confirm additional details. The incident remains under investigation.

Sad day here in NE Iowa.  There are people even up in the Dubuque area that have or are currently working at the prison.  It's believed it's the first time an inmate killed a corrections employee since 1969. 

[47of74]

More details are out.  Of course the Iowa Branch Trumpvidian government tried to do prison staffing levels on the cheap which likely had a lot to do with this. 

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Union leadership for prison workers has been sounding the siren on the need for workers for years, warning of something like Tuesday’s attack happening.

On Wednesday, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation revealed two inmates, 39-year-old Thomas Woodward and 28-year-old Michael Dutcher, tried to escape the Anamosa State Penitentiary. They made up a story about repairing equipment in the infirmary. The two busted a window. A prison nurse, 50-year-old Lorena Schulte, tried to stop the inmates. Woodward and Dutcher beat her with hammers. She died from her injuries. Correctional Officer Robert McFarland tried to aid her, and was attacked and killed as well.

Staffing levels have declined for more than a decade. In 2009, the DOC employed more than 4,200 people and nearly 1,600 officers. As of 2020, there was a 40% decrease in DOC employees to about 2,600 and just 1,400 officers. This was something DOC leaders said they would be looking closely at after investigators said two inmates killed two prison workers on Tuesday.

 

[47of74]

Another attack, this time at the prison in Fort Madison, Iowa

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A corrections officer is recovering in the hospital after being attacked by an inmate on Friday night.

It happened at the Iowa State Penitentiary in Fort Madison.

According to the Iowa Department of Corrections, the inmate came up to the office and started assaulting him while he was at his post. Additional officers were able to restrain the inmate.

After an initial evaluation at a local hospital, doctors sent the injured officer to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics for further examination and observation.

 

[Howl]

What's going on in these instances? Are the prisoners getting access to something to fashion into a weapon or are they so strong that can kill or injure with bare hands?

 

[47of74]

11 hours ago, Howl said:

What's going on in these instances? Are the prisoners getting access to something to fashion into a weapon or are they so strong that can kill or injure with bare hands?

I think that was the case in Anamosa that they got a hold of something they could use as a weapon.  Most of these are happening because the prisons are short staffed like everything else these days.