WALLA WALLA, Wash. – A tower officer is on administrative leave and under investigation for use of force after they fired a shot and struck an inmate who was involved in an altercation at the Washington State Penitentiary Tuesday evening.
The Department of Corrections says three inmates were engaged in a physical altercation in the recreation yard Tuesday, when a tower officer sounded the alarm, gave warnings through the speaker, and eventually fired a warning shot aimed at an unoccupied area.
The involved inmates didn’t stop fighting, and the officer then fired a shot at the two individuals assaulting the third inmate, striking one of them.
The individual was transported offsite for medical treatment for his non-life threatening wound, and was reportedly conscious and in stable condition before returning to the prison. No staff injuries were reported from this incident.
The inmate who was the target of the assault was admitted to an onsite health service building where he was treated for his injuries.
Per protocol, the officer was place on administrative leave as the use of force is now under investigation.
“The Department of Corrections takes the incident very seriously. Following policy, anytime a weapon is discharged both an internal and an external investigation is started. The internal investigation includes a critical incident review and a firearms review panel. The external investigation is completed by local law enforcement,” the DOC said in a release.
The DOC says the last shooting of an inmate in a state correctional system was back in June of 2012 at the Clallam Bay Corrections Center during a hostage situation involving a staff member. That shooting resulted in an inmate’s fatality.
