Another Mecklenburg jail officer assaulted by inmates, sheriff’s office says
A Mecklenburg County jail officer was taken to the hospital after getting assaulted by a group of inmates who were playing cards shortly after midnight Monday, the sheriff’s office said.
At around 12:09 a.m., Officer NaQuan Claire saw several inmates playing cards during a housing unit tour, so he told them to stop and return to their cells, the sheriff’s office said. Inmate Montico Peoples made a verbal threat toward Claire, the office said, prompting four other inmates to crowd around the lone officer.
Peoples, 23, was charged with murder on Oct. 21, 2020, according to the sheriff’s office.
Claire called for help on his radio, but an unknown inmate made another verbal threat, leading to the officer hitting one of the inmates and a fight ensuing, the sheriff’s office said. Two other jail officers responded to Claire’s radio call, but once they got to the area of the incident, the inmates dispersed.
Claire was transported to the hospital, treated for his injuries and released, the sheriff’s office said.
All involved inmates have been identified and the sheriff’s office expects to seek criminal charges against those responsible for the assault.
Five Mecklenburg County jail officers recently attended de-escalation training to help prevent incidents like this from happening, Sheriff Garry McFadden said in a statement.
Last week, three jail officers were assaulted by an inmate wielding “homemade weapons.” One officer was stabbed, while the other two suffered minor injuries.
Staff shortages, mandatory overtime, missed court dates for inmates and minimal movement inside the housing units during the COVID-19 pandemic have put a strain on the jail and its operations, the Observer previously reported.
“Unfortunately, this is a reality our detention officers face during their day-to-day duties,” McFadden said.
