The Tennessee Department of Correction says three officers were stabbed at a Hickman County prison Sunday afternoon.
It happened around 4 p.m. during a disturbance involving 16 inmates at a housing unit in the Turney Center Industrial Complex in Only, Tennessee, about 60 miles west of Nashville. Former Smith County resident, Charles K. Cortez, was 1 of those 16 inmates.
Two of the guards were immediately airlifted to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, and the other was held hostage. TDOC called the incident an “unprovoked attack” on the staff by inmates who “may have ties to a security threat group.”
By 7 p.m., the situation was resolved and officials regained control of the housing unit. The inmates involved were immediately moved to a maximum security facility.
TDOC said Monday that injured Officer Lester Hall was released from Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
Officers Jesse Shockley and Paul Nielsen remain hospitalized and are listed in stable condition.
Below is a list of the 16 inmates and their offenses:
- Charles K. Cortez, sentenced 8 years for aggravated burglary
- Michael Deon Mill, sentenced 25 years for especially aggravated kidnapping, aggravated burglary and especially aggravated robbery
- Christopher Hambright, sentenced 8 years for Schedule II, VI, Drug conspiracy, aggravated robbery and aggravated assault
- Michael Keyon Martin, sentenced 18 years for attempt contraband in a Penal Facility, attempted second-degree murder, aggravated robbery, attempted forgery and schedule II drugs
- Laquinton Brown, sentenced 16 years for aggravated burglary, employment of firearms, a dangerous felony, attempted voluntary manslaughter and aggravated assault
- Kenneth Deangelo Thomas, sentenced to life in prison for first-degree murder and robbery
- TY Johnson, sentenced 10 years, 2 months and 14 days for robbery, aggravated robbery, possession of a weapon as a convicted felon, reckless endangerment and deadly weapon
- Deanthony Perry, sentenced to life in prison for first-degree murder
- Travis Eugene Taylor, sentenced to 21 years for employment of a firearm, a dangerous felony and voluntary manslaughter
- Curtis Beechem, sentenced to life in prison for first-degree murder and attempted aggravated robbery
- Nicholas Rico Durant, sentenced to life i prison for first-degree murder
- Victor Sharmell Sparkman, sentenced to 33 years for second-degree murder, especially aggravated robbery, especially aggravated burglary and aggravated robbery
- Casey Mackey, sentenced to 20 years for employment of a firearm – a dangerous felony, attempted first-degree murder and evading arrest
- Ryan Clark Stevenson, sentenced to 15 years for attempted first-degree murder and aggravated burglary
- Ronnie Cortez Akins, sentenced to life for aggravated robbery, criminal negligent homicide, especially aggravates robbery and first-degree murder
- Lamarquis Cortez Rivers, sentenced 10 years for four counts of Schedule II Drugs, aggravated burglary and theft of property
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Charles K. Cortez
