GOUVERNEUR – Two corrections officers were assaulted by an inmate Monday evening at Gouverneur Correctional Facility.

According to a statement from the jail, the inmate will face assault charges at the facility and possible outside criminal charges for punching the two officers, one of whom was taken to E.J. Noble Hospital Emergency room Monday night and remains out of work today.

The assault occurred at about 6 p.m. after an inmate was acting erratically while returning to his housing unit from the mess hall, the statement said.

A sergeant directed an officer to escort the inmate to the infirmary for an interview. While in the infirmary, the inmate attacked the escort officer punching him in the face twice, according to the release from the facility.

Another officer responded to help restrain the inmate. In the ensuing struggle, the responding officer was also allegedly punched in the face by the inmate.

Both officers received injuries including cuts and scrapes from the floor. The inmate was eventually restrained and then escorted to the facility’s Special Housing Unit.

The inmate will face assault charges at the facility and possible outside criminal charges. One of the officers was taken to the E.J. Noble Emergency room, where he was treated and released. He remains out of work today. The other officer remained on duty.

“Correction officers put their safety on the line every day to protect the public, and this assault is another reminder that even routine procedures can spiral out of control when inmates become violent,” said John Gavin, New York State Correctional Officers & Benevolent Association (NYSCOPBA) Central Region Vice President. “We will continue to monitor the situation.”