MIRAMICHI, N.B. -- Two corrections officers from the maximum security prison in northeastern New Brunswick were injured in an attack by an inmate early Monday morning while transporting the inmate to hospital.
Sgt. Jody Whyte of the Miramichi Police Department said the incident occurred shortly before 2 a.m. as the officers were taking a male inmate from Atlantic Institution to the Miramichi hospital for treatment of possible self-inflicted wounds.
"When they arrived at the hospital and opened the rear doors, the inmate attacked the correctional officers with an "edged" weapon," Whyte said.
"One correctional officer was stabbed twice. Both officers and hospital security were able to pin the inmate down until police arrived."
Both officers were treated in hospital and have since been released. Whyte said the stabbed officer was kept in hospital for a few hours for observation before he was released.
Whyte said police don't know if the inmate was trying to escape or just attack the officers.
He said police are not releasing more details about the inmate or the exact nature of the stab wounds at this time.
The inmate has been returned to the prison in Renous, and the investigation is ongoing.
The Correctional Service of Canada is also investigating.
In a statement, Etienne Allard, the regional director of communications for the Correctional Service Canada, said the CSC does not tolerate violence in its institutions.
"Disciplinary action is taken and, criminal charges can be laid against offenders involved in violent incidents," he wrote.
"CSC examines each incident of violence in order to improve its practices to prevent and reduce future occurrences."
