DELANO ― A North Kern State Prison (NKSP) correctional officer is recovering from injuries he sustained when he was attacked by eight inmates on Sept. 13.

The incident began last Friday at about 2 p.m. when the officer was conducting his security checks on Facility A and found an inmate with a contraband cell phone. The inmate attacked the officer. Seven other inmates joined in the attack and punched and kicked the officer.

Responding correctional officers used pepper spray and the 40mm launcher to stop the attack.

The officer was taken by ambulance to a hospital for treatment of his injuries. He was released and is expected to recover.

NKSP’s Investigative Services Unit is conducting an investigation. Facility A, a medium-custody general population facility, is on modified program, meaning that inmate movement is limited to facilitate the investigation, searches and interviews. The Office of the Inspector General was notified. The eight suspects were re-housed in the Administrative Segregation Unit pending the investigation.

NKSP houses medium- and minimum-custody general population inmates and provides them vocational and academic education as well as other rehabilitative programs. Part of NKSP is a reception center where newly arriving inmates are processed. After compiling their criminal records, life histories, medical and psychological evaluations and social relationships, NKSP staff determines the inmate’s classification score and institutional placement. NKSP houses more than 4,100 inmates and employs approximately 1,500 people.