A corrections officer at a prison in southern Georgia was killed on Sunday after an inmate allegedly attacked him “from behind with a homemade weapon,” officials shared.
The Georgia Department of Corrections shared the news over the weekend in a press release, noting that the officer, 42-year-old Robert Clark, was escorting two offenders, Layton Lester and Marko Willingham, from the dining hall when the attack happened.
Clark, who worked at Smith State Prison, was assaulted from behind, and Willingham noticed and stepped in to try and help but was also injured in the attack.
After the attack, Clark and Willingham were taken to the hospital. Clark eventually died of his injuries, and Willingham is still hospitalized but with non-life-threatening injuries.
“The entire GDC team is mourning the loss of one of our own, and we collectively express our deepest condolences to Officer Clark’s family and friends,” Commissioner Tyrone Oliver said in a statement. “We will support them as they navigate this tragedy over the coming days, weeks, and months.”
The department shared that Lester is expected to be charged with the fatal assault of Clark and the assault of Willingham.
Online prison records show that Lester was convicted of a 2007 murder and armed robbery and has been in prison since 2010.