A California inmate faces possible attempted homicide charges after they attacked an employee at the Salinas Valley State Prison, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
The inmate, 43-year-old Sean Cunningham, allegedly struck a prison healthcare worker from behind with an improvised weapon and then ran away at around 12:43 p.m. Friday. The alleged attack was witnessed by prison staff.
“Staff immediately came to the aid of the employee, initiating life-saving measures and activating 911,” the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said in a press release.
California inmate Sean Cunningham. (California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation)
The injured employee was taken to the hospital for treatment. The employee’s condition is not known at this time.
Cunningham was apprehended and put into restraints. He is being held in restricted housing while the investigation into the attack is ongoing. The improvised weapon was found at the scene of the attack and seized as evidence.
Cunningham entered the prison from Los Angeles County on April 8, 2009. Cunningham is serving a 49-year sentence for second-degree robbery as a second-strike offense, the use of a gun, inflicting great bodily injury, and a prior felony conviction for a “serious offense,” prison officials said.
Salinas Valley State Prison opened in Monterey County in May 1996. The prison houses roughly 2,300 inmates and employs roughly 1,500 people.
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