By Sarah Roebuck
Corrections1
RIVERHEAD, N.Y. — A corrections officer at the Suffolk County Jail was attacked by an inmate, WCBS reports.
Video of the December attack shows the 26-year-old corrections officer opening inmate Steven Reid’s cell when Reid immediately punches the officer three times in the face.
Shortly after the attack, Reid runs free toward an unauthorized catwalk jailhouse tier, video shows.
The video was made public on Jan. 4 after Reid’s mother claimed on social media that her son was attacked by the corrections officers and she would sue, Suffolk County Sheriff Errol Toulon Jr. said.
“Clearly by the videotape you see he did everything in his power to be calm, cool, restrained. He took some blows from this individual,” Toulon told WCBS.
Reid was awaiting trial for an attempted murder. He reportedly was angry about not receiving a bar of soap fast enough.
“Assaulting an officer is never the appropriate action for not receiving a hygiene product in time,” Louis Viscusi, president of the Suffolk County Correction Officers Association, told WCBS.
The corrections officer used pepper spray to subdue Reid. Reid was later tased and checked out by medical staff.
The corrections officer has not returned to work due to ongoing treatment of his injuries, Toulon said.