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Corrections staff at Rush City Prison were doing routine cell searches Saturday, August 9, when at approximately 3:20 p.m. an inmate allegedly stabbed an officer using a handmade weapon. Three other officers subdued the inmate and sustained some injuries in the scuffle.  

They were transported for medical assessment and Department of Corrections officials report they were evaluated and released quickly.  The unidentified corrections officer who sustained a puncture wound is expected to recover and was undergoing care at press deadline earlier this week.

The Chisago County Attorney’s office will review the results of the Department of Corrections Special Office investigation for future charges.  County Attorney Janet Reiter says the county has a joint powers agreement with the Department of Corrections where the county tracks the time spent on prosecutions for Rush City state prison offenses and gets reimbursed by the state.

The prison was put in lockdown status for a brief time, and operations returned to normal by Saturday night.  

The inmate who is believed to have used the weapon, was reportedly also suspected of being in possession of illegal prison-made alcohol. He has been transferred to Oak Park Heights.  Like a large number of Rush City inmates, he is held on a murder conviction.  The second most prevalent offense according to a breakdown of Rush City inmates’  offenses is a sex-assault related crime. 

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