Officer Shanked By Inmate At Fulton Jail: Sheriff

ATLANTA, GA — A Fulton County detention officer was injured after an inmate attacked them with a shank Tuesday morning at the Fulton County Jail, authorities said.

The Fulton County Sheriff's Office did not fully detail the attack, but authorities said the officer was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital and is expected to fully recover.

Authorities said the inmate was identified, though not publicly, and will be charged.

Colloquially, a shank is a handmade knife or other weapon used for stabbing.

Tuesday's incident speaks to the worsening conditions at the Rice Street jail, authorities said.

"This incident underscores the unsafe and deteriorating conditions within the Fulton County Jail that continue to pose risks to both our team and those in our custody. Inmates are able to fashion makeshift weapons from the very materials of the aging facility, creating ongoing safety risks," authorities said in a brief.

"The Fulton County Sheriff’s Office remains steadfast in its commitment to advocating for safer and more secure facilities, ensuring the protection of our team and maintaining the safety of everyone in our care."

The Fulton jail has been plagued by safety and infrastructure concerns for at least the last two years with authorities previously reporting several attacks on inmates and the arrest of officers in relation to contraband probes.

This includes last Wednesday when authorities said they charged Shania White, 27, with aggravated assault, aggravated battery and tampering with evidence after accusing her of attacking another inmate.

In August, the jail was flooded during a period of heavy rain, leading to county commissioners approving $1 billion for a special purpose facility rather than investing the funding in a new jail.

Additionally, the approved money will reportedly go toward renovations rather than replacing the jail. Authorities previously the funding will not take effect until 2030, which they added delays the needs of inmates at the jail.

This decision was made much to the dismay of Fulton County Sheriff Pat Labat, who previously called the board's vote "pennywise and a pound foolish."

Authorities have spent most of this year speaking on the crumbling conditions at the Rice Street jail, where a man died while in custody after suffering more than 1,000 bed bug bites in 2023.

In at least the past year, the county jail has been hit with a gas leak and a $1 million bill for added security measures.

In August, Labat said 70 staff members have left the sheriff's office and the jail in the last month or two. He said 50-70 former staff members went to work for other agencies.

Both the Georgia Senate and the Department of Justice have opened probes into the jail's safety measures.

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