LINCOLN, Neb. (KMTV) — After assaults by an inmate sent two staff members of the Nebraska State Penitentiary to the hospital Saturday, the facility has undergone two days of intense searches.
The Nebraska Department of Correctional Services (NDCS) says one staff member remains hospitalized following the assaults.
“The thoughts of our teammates are with that staff member and his family. This was a particularly brutal and unprovoked attack,” said Scott R. Frakes, director of the NDCS.
On Sunday morning, 30 members of the NDCS Corrections Emergency Response Team (CERT) and members of the agency's canine team started searching the area where the assaults happened, along with other housing spaces within the facility.
“This situation is a serious reminder of the inherent dangers of working in a prison,” added Warden Michele Wilhelm. “We train to be vigilant, but it is impossible to anticipate every situation.”
Forty-three members of the Nebraska State Patrol joined 42 members of CERT and 11 members of the Special Operations Response Team (SORT) Monday morning to search other parts of the penitentiary.
NDCS says homemade alcohol, items that will be tested for the presence of drugs and some items that could've been made into weapons were uncovered during the searches.
Findings will be given to the county attorney to determine criminal prosecution.
