VIDEO: Officer-involved shooting, inmate attack under investigation at Jefferson Co., Ill. Courthouse
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MOUNT VERNON, Ill. (KFVS) - An inmate attacked a correctional officer at the Jefferson County Courthouse on Tuesday, October 26, according to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.
On Friday, October 29, Illinois State Police released surveillance video of the attack. You can watch the video leading up to the shooting below.
According to ISP, members of Frederick Goss’ family were given the opportunity to watch the video before its release.
According to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, the correctional officer was transporting an inmate to court just before 1 p.m. for a jury trial.
The inmate was identified as 55-year-old Frederick Goss.
While in the sally port in the courthouse basement, investigators say Goss was unhandcuffed by the correctional officer because he was supposed to appear before the jury unrestrained.
After the handcuffs were removed, they say Goss was transferred from the transport vehicle into a wheelchair.
According to Illinois State Police, he then grabbed the correctional officer’s sidearm and after a struggle, disarmed the correctional officer. During the continued struggle for the gun, a round was discharged.
A deputy inside the courthouse witnessed the attack on the courthouse video surveillance system and rushed to the sally port located in the basement.
The deputy then confronted the armed inmate.
According to the sheriff’s office, the deputy was forced to fire his gun to protect himself and the correctional officer.
The inmate was injured from the gunfire.
He was taken to a local hospital and then to a St. Louis hospital for treatment.
The condition of the inmate is unknown at this time.
The deputy was not hurt, but he was checked out at a local medical facility and then released.
The correctional officer that was attacked suffered minor injuries that were treated at a nearby hospital and later released.
According to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Illinois State Police was contacted to investigate the officer-involved shooting and circumstances surrounding the attempted escape.
According to the sheriff’s office, they will be running a side-by-side workforce investigation along side the ISP investigation.
In a released statement, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office said: “While we do not condone the actions of the inmate in the slightest, our prayers go out to the family as they handle this difficult news.”
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