Officials in New York City say a group of Rikers Island inmates prevented a fellow inmate from sexually assaulting a female correction officer last week.
The New York Daily News reports that 27-year-old Raleek Young attacked the officer on Saturday night, reportedly masturbating while choking her. Acting quickly, the group of inmates tore down a Plexiglass barrier inside of a watch post to stop Young:
A skinny inmate slipped inside the so-called “A station” bubble through the small crack and opened the security door. A team of inmates then took down the assailant, Raleek Young, 27, until other officers arrived.
Young, who is already serving a five-to-10 year sentence for raping a 13-year-old girl, will face additional charges as a result of the attack.
Norman Seabrook, President of the Correction Officers Benevolent Association, applauded the inmates for their heroics. "I appreciate [them] helping a sister officer because that could have been their mother, wife or sister," he said, according to the Daily News.
Corrections Department Spokeswoman Eve Kessler said the incident is "under investigation."
[via New York Daily News]