Two Corrections officers were viciously attacked at Rikers Island within a four-hour period on Wednesday, in a disturbing display of violence that left both guards injured. The first attack occurred at around 9:30 a.m. at the Otis Bantum Correctional Center, where an 11-year veteran officer was slashed by Shemar Shaw, a reputed member of the Crips gang. Shaw, who is currently held at Rikers for allegedly assaulting a man on a subway train in February, attacked the officer after complaining about a misplaced tablet.
The officer, who requested to remain anonymous, described the attack as Shaw running up behind him and swiping a sharpened piece of metal across his face. The officer likened the sensation to “pain and sandpaper going across my face,” emphasizing the severity of the assault. Following the attack, the officer was hospitalized for his injuries.
Shaw’s history of violence, including his previous arrest for assaulting a man on a subway train, raised concerns about the safety of correctional officers at Rikers. The injured officer expressed fear and called for legislative changes to protect officers from violent inmates who feel emboldened to attack.
In a separate incident four hours later, Malik Cooke, a member of the Bloods gang, reportedly threw a burning rag at the officer who had replaced the injured guard. Cooke allegedly manipulated his cell door to step out, ignite the cloth, and hurl it at the female officer, causing smoke inhalation but no serious burns. Cooke, who was in custody for second-degree burglary, had violated an order of protection in East Harlem.
The string of violent attacks prompted Benny Boscio, President of the Correction Officers’ Benevolent Association (COBA), to condemn the incidents and highlight the ongoing threat faced by correctional officers. Boscio emphasized that such assaults on officers were not isolated incidents, citing nearly 600 assaults on correction officers in the past year.
The injured officer, reflecting on his experience, urged city lawmakers to enact measures to enhance officer safety and curb violence by inmates at Rikers. The officer’s plea for a safer work environment resonated with the broader issue of ensuring the well-being of correctional staff in the face of escalating violence. The Department of Correction for the city did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the incidents.
