Jailer’s teeth knocked out
A Rikers Island guard had several of his front teeth knocked out by a Bloods gang member during a struggle late Saturday, union officials said.
The violence began around 11:30 p.m. at the Anna M. Kross Center when two inmates left one of the housing areas and entered an unauthorized vestibule, officials said Sunday.
The inmates walked toward a correction officer at his post, prompting several other guards to try to get the men back into a housing area.
“As [the men] were being returned back to the housing area, one of the inmates turned around and punched one of the officers in the face with a closed fist, knocking out several of his front teeth,” Correction Officers’ Benevolent Association President Benny Boscio Jr. said in a statement.
“Fortunately, the other officers were able to quickly intercede and quell the attack,” he said.
The injured officer, whose name wasn’t released, was taken to a hospital for treatment and released. He has three years on the job, officials said.
The 30-year-old suspected attacker had been at Rikers on first-degree felony assault charges, union officials said.
It was unclear what charges he could face over the incident.
Boscio fumed, “It’s open season on New York City correction officers,” claiming they “continue to be assaulted by violent inmates who are emboldened to unleash their brutality against our officers because they know they face little to no consequences for their heinous crimes.
“Instead of bolstering our officers and giving us the tools we need to keep our facilities safe, most of our elected officials, including most of the candidates running to be our next mayor, have turned their backs on us, ignoring the continued brutality against correction officers.”
The City Department of Correction did not immediately return an e-mail seeking comment from The Post.
Four correction officers were previously assaulted on Dec. 18 by Bloods gang members, the union said.
Boscio has been highly critical of a city council bill calling for a ban on solitary confinement in city jails.