2 correctional officers stabbed, 3 others injured at Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center – Boston News, Weather, Sports

SHIRLEY, MASS. (WHDH) – Two correctional officers were stabbed and three others injured in an incident at the Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center in Lancaster on Wednesday, officials said.

The incident occurred late Wednesday afternoon. In a statement Wednesday evening, a spokesman for the state Executive Office of Public Safety said all five injured officers were taken to area hospitals.

Spokesman Scott Croteau said the state Department of Corrections received a report of several injured police officers at 6:20 p.m. The two officers who were stabbed were attacked by inmates. The other three officers were injured during their duties.

Several ambulances were seen leaving the area around the prison Wednesday evening, some en route to UMass Memorial Hospital in Leominster.

Croteau said Souza-Baranowski had been safe since about 9:30 p.m. while authorities investigated the incident.

The police were still on site in front of Souza-Baranowski from around 11 p.m.

A representative of the Massachusetts Correction Officers Federated Union said one of the injured officers suffered serious injuries after being stabbed in the head and neck. Information on the extent of other injuries in the incident was not immediately available.

Union leader Dennis Martin expressed outrage at the attack in a speech outside the prison.

Martin said the incident was preventable, adding that union officials had tried to raise the alarm after a series of other attacks, including a similar incident in 2023.

“This was not a random act,” Martin said. “This was an attempted murder of a correctional officer. That's what upsets us. That's what makes us angry.”

“This is unacceptable,” Martin continued. “Things have to change. These people have to be held accountable.”

Souza-Baranowski is a maximum security state prison.

In addition to the permanently installed surveillance cameras, investigators are also expected to evaluate body-worn cameras worn by correctional officers when investigating the incident.

This is a developing story; stay with 7NEWS on air and online for the latest updates.

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