Prison Psych Tech Helps Save a Corrections Officer’s Life!

I’d like to share some thoughts on an article written by By Larry Lucketta, Corrections Chapter President, Corcoran State Prison. It is being carried by CAPT Magazine and on their CAPT website.

It is often heard that there are attackers who are supposedly immune to pepper spray and don’t respond as normal people would. This story is more proof of the phenomena.

Apparently in the psychiatric ward of this hospital (see linked story for full details), a crazed convict bolted into an office, and attacked the lone officer who was sitting inside, knocking him to the ground and stabbing him repeatedly with a “shank”, or “home made knife”. A courageous Psych Tech, spotted the attack in progress and unlocked the door and tackled the prisoner, allowing another officer to enter with her as well, both trying to assist the injured officer. As this was taking place the door slammed shut with both keys to the door being inside, one with the corrections officer and the other with the Psych Tech who entered to assist the downed officer.

Onlooking officers and Techs couldn’t do a thing to help and stood by watching the maniacal patient attacking the officer and Psych Tech inside the locked office. They then administered pepper spray under the door which quickly affected the Psych Tech and the officer, but not the convict who continued to struggle, seemingly impervious to the pepper spray. An armed officer stationed above the office could not shoot the convict, his aim being obscured by the pepper spray in the locked office.

The Psych Tech, nearly blinded by the pepper spray, threw out her arm and found the door, quickly unlocking it. Officers standing by, rushed in immediately and subdued the murderous convict. He was very lucky, the pepper spray saved his life by obscuring the shooter’s aim.

What becomes readily apparent is that the pepper spray worked on everyone involved in this most unfortunate episode except the psychotic, medicated (I assume) inmate who instigated the attack. I believe this helps substantiate claims that defense sprays and stun guns may not stop a very determined attacker or a very crazy, and/or medicated attacker from pressing his attack home, often with distastrous results.

I believe in the use of non-lethal weapons such as a stun gun, or pepper spray but not 100% of the time. I think the training of these two employees helped in saving their lives. I also recommend that if anyone has an opportunity to take a seminar on self defense, or has time for a few months of training in martial arts, gives themselves the needed “edge” to survive an attack with the aid of such non-lethal weapons while stopping short of carrying a firearm.