Ohio Officer Dies After Prison 'Inmate Assault' on Christmas Morning

What's New

A corrections officer died in Ohio after an inmate assaulted him on Christmas morning, according to authorities.

Why It Matters

The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction posted to Facebook that Correction Officer Andrew Lansing died Wednesday morning "following an inmate assault" at the Ross Correctional Institution in Chillicothe, Ohio.

Newsweek reached out to the department via email on Wednesday.

"Officer Lansing is a long-time, well-respected employee at Ross, and his untimely death – on Christmas Day – is heartbreaking for his family, the entire Ross Correctional Institution family, and our agency as a whole," Director Annette Chambers-Smith said in a statement. "Officer Lansing was loved by his colleagues and known to be a great support for his fellow RCI staff."

Chambers-Smith recalled that Lansing was "a friendly, outgoing officer" and that he always was professional and "treated everyone with respect."

Correction Officer Andrew Lansing, inset, and the Ross Correctional Institution in Ohio are pictured. Lansing died after an assault by an inmate on Christmas morning, authorities said. The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction/Google Maps

What To Know

There were no details about the assault or the inmate's identity in authorities' release posted to Facebook.

The Scioto Valley Guardian reported that Lansing was transported to Adena Regional Medical Center in critical condition and did not survive his injuries.

The inmate who assaulted Lansing has been transferred to the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility, according to authorities. The southern Ohio facility in Lucasville, about 35 miles south of Chillicothe, is more secure, according to the state.

Lansing's death comes just a few months after a corrections officer in Ohio was killed during a training exercise. Lieutenant Rodney Osborne, who was from the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction's southern Ohio facility, was shot and killed in April during a training accident at the corrections facility in Orient.

What People Are Saying

Annette Chambers-Smith, director of the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, on Facebook: "The loss of a staff person is difficult, but to lose a family member on Christmas Day at the hands of someone in our custody is a tragedy beyond comprehension. Instead of going home after his shift to be with his family on this holiday, Officer Lansing made the ultimate sacrifice, and our agency will never be the same."

Shannon Allman, former nurse, on Facebook: "Asking for prayers for Casey Lansing and all the family. This just broke my heart for them."

Christina Woods, owner of Smile Bright by Christina, on Facebook: "And on Christmas Day. Rest in peace Andrew Lansing. I am praying hard for his family and the correctional officers. Andy was always the first to like or comment on posts I made about Charlie. He was such a sweet guy."

What Happens Next

The Ross Correctional Institution is operating under restricted movement, and the Ohio State High Patrol is conducting an investigation, according to the Facebook post.