One person is dead and two others injured after a Thursday stabbing incident at the Fulton County Jail, according to authorities.
Natalie Ammons, a spokesperson for the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office, confirmed there had been “multiple stabbings” as part of an “active incident” at the Atlanta correctional facility, CNN reported. Though the situation was determined to be “under control” by Thursday afternoon, one person was killed in the incident — the fifth inmate to die at the facility since the end of July, the outlet stated. (RELATED: Jail Where Trump Will Appear For Arraignment Is Infamous For Suspects Dying, Being Detained For Years)
Former President Donald Trump was booked at Fulton County Jail on Aug. 24 for allegedly attempting to overturn the 2020 election in the state. He was promptly released on a $200,000 bond.
RIGHT NOW: 1 person is dead, 2 others injured in stabbing at the Fulton County Jail.
5th custody death this month.
Fulton County Chairman Robb Pitts said the incident may be gang-related. The County is looking to take emergency action to address overcrowding. pic.twitter.com/E77quPfsjg
— Patrick Quinn (@PatrickQuinnTV) August 31, 2023
On Aug. 26, inmate Samuel Lawrence, 34, was found unresponsive in his cell during dinner rounds. He was transported to Grady Memorial Hospital where he was later pronounced dead. An investigation into the cause of his death is ongoing, according to a release from the sheriff’s office.
On Aug. 17, 66-year-old Alexander Hawkins was also found unresponsive in his cell. Though life saving measures were attempted, Hawkins was pronounced dead shortly thereafter. An investigation into his cause of death is also ongoing, the sheriff’s office stated.
On Aug. 10, Christopher Smith, 34, was pronounced dead at Grady Memorial Hospital after being found unresponsive in his cell. An investigation into his death is also underway.
On July 31, Montay Stinson was found unresponsive in his cell with no obvious signs of injury. Attempts to revive the 40-year-old inmate proved unsuccessful, and Stinson was later declared dead.
Since the beginning of 2023, nine deaths have been recorded at the Fulton County Jail, many of which still do not have autopsy reports indicating their cause of death, Ammons stated, according to CNN.
In April 2023, three Fulton County Jail officials stepped down after an investigation into the death of LaShawn Thompson in Sept. 2022 revealed that he had been left in unsanitary conditions and had been “eaten alive” by bed bugs at the facility. A further investigation of the facility found that the mental health unit where Thompson was detained was infested with bugs and most of the inmates were malnourished, CNN reported.
Kristen Clarke, assistant attorney general for civil rights at the Department Of Justice (DOJ), further revealed that inmates were “crafting shanks from the crumbling walls” of the main facility, the outlet stated.
Fulton County Chairman Robb Pitts told Atlanta News First that the stabbing appeared to be gang-related and that officials are currently working to address the problem of overcrowding in the jail to limit the number of violent incidents.