Massachusetts prison guard was reportedly stabbed 12 times in a “vicious attack… an attempted murder of a correctional officer”

One of the prison guards injured during the “vicious attack” at the Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center was reportedly stabbed 12 times, according to the correctional officers' union, which continues to advocate for safety measures and to “shake up this place.”

The officer's condition is serious but stable one day after the attack on the inmate at Massachusetts' maximum security prison, the chairman of the Massachusetts Correction Officers Federated Union said on Thursday.

The security guard suffered a ruptured lung and was treated in hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.

According to the prison authorities, four of the five injured officers have now been released from the hospital.

The union had warned of an increase in weapons in prisons and saw this “vicious attack” coming, said union president Dennis Martin.

“This is a systemic problem with this facility here and with prisons across this Commonwealth. They are unsafe,” he said during a press conference outside the prison.

“These are unfortunate events,” Martin added. “We warned them (DOC) that this will continue until they do something drastic… These are sad times right now.”

On Wednesday at around 6:20 p.m., the DOC received a report of several injured correctional officers at the maximum security Souza Baranowski Correctional Center.

Two officers were on their hourly patrol when they were reportedly attacked from behind by inmates. One of the guards was stabbed 12 times, the other in the back and head, the union said.

A total of five officers were injured: two suffered stab wounds and three others were injured during the brawl.

“This was not an isolated incident. This was an attempted murder of a correctional officer,” Martin said, later adding: “When someone is stabbed 12 times, it's not just a warning, it's like killing someone… He was lucky. He was lucky to survive that attack.”

In the past three months, officials have seized more than 70 weapons and the union alleges that inmates are making weapons from the tablets they receive in prison.

There is a metal strip inside the panels, and the inmates apparently smash them to make weapons.

The union is calling for a comprehensive search of the prison for weapons and drugs.

“Shake up this place,” Martin said, adding, “This is a good cleaning to keep everyone safe.”

“We hope this is the last straw and that they will act and come up with a comprehensive plan to make the prison safe,” he said.

Shawn Jenkins, interim director of the Massachusetts Department of Corrections, said in a statement he was “deeply concerned about the incident.”

“Our correctional officers do important and difficult work. Their safety is our top priority,” he wrote in the statement. “My thoughts are with the officers and their families during this time, and the department offers the officers our full support as they recover from their injuries.”