A stabbing spree at the Fulton County Jail last week has left multiple inmates hospitalized and one dead, according to the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office.
The FCSO reported “multiple stabbings” took place at the jail on Thursday, August 31 following a “dispute between a group of inmates.”
Inmate Dayvion Blake, age 23, died at Grady Memorial Hospital after he and three other inmates were transported to the hospital with stab wounds. One additional inmate was stabbed and treated at the jail by medical staff.
“The recent outbreak of violence at the Fulton County Jail is of grave concern but unfortunately is not surprising considering the long-standing, dangerous overcrowding and the crumbling walls of the facility that are literally being crafted into makeshift weapons that inmates use to attack each other and staff,” Fulton County Sheriff Pat Labat said in a statement.
Last week’s stabbing incident comes after four inmates were found dead in their cells at the jail during the month of August, as previously reported by The Georgia Star News.
Sheriff Labat acknowledged last month’s deaths at the jail following the stabbing incident, saying, “We have had an unfortunate series of deaths this year that range from natural causes, to pre-existing health conditions, to homicide.”
He went on to add, “To mitigate the violence and overcrowding, the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office is in constant negotiations with other detention facilities, including facilities out of state, to outsource inmates. In addition, we have been coordinating with other agencies to secure additional resources to assist with mass shakedowns and increase the cadence of these shakedowns in order to seize contraband.”
“Since taking office on January 1, 2021, I have been very transparent about the urgent need for a replacement jail that uses smart technology and other common-sense cost saving measures that will relieve the dangerous overcrowding, improve security, provide humane detainment and most importantly save lives,” Sheriff Labat concluded.
The Atlanta Police Department is currently investigating the stabbing incident and is expected to release the names and criminal charges of the inmates involved in the incident at a later date.
The Fulton County Jail is currently under investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia. The entities are investigating various issues at the jail, including inmate deaths, living conditions, medical and mental health care, excessive force, and protection from violence. The investigation will also examine whether there is discrimination against individuals with psychiatric disabilities within the jail.
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Georgia Star News and The Star News Network.
