OHIO — A corrections officer at Ross Correctional Institution was killed on Christmas morning after being assaulted by an inmate, according to the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction (ODRC).
The officer, identified as Andrew Lansing, was a long-time employee of the institution and highly respected by his colleagues.
The inmate accused of the assault has been transferred to the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility, ODRC confirmed.
In a statement, ODRC expressed condolences to Lansing’s family and praised his contributions to the institution.
“Officer Lansing is a long-time, well-respected employee at Ross, and his untimely death – on Christmas Day – is heartbreaking for his family, the entire Ross Correctional Institution family, and our agency as a whole. Officer Lansing was loved by his colleagues and known to be a great support for his fellow RCI staff. He was a friendly, outgoing officer who treated everyone with respect and was always a professional,” the statement read in part.
Following the incident, Ross Correctional Institution is operating under restricted movement while the Ohio State Highway Patrol investigates.
ODRC urged the public to keep Lansing’s family and loved ones in their thoughts during this difficult time.