Two NYC Correction officers attacked in 4 hours at same Rikers jail — one by menace accused of brutal subway assault: union

Two Corrections officers were brutally attacked in a span of four hours at Rikers Island on Wednesday, with one guard being slashed by a notorious subway knifer, according to union officials.

The incident occurred at the Otis Bantum Correctional Center, where an 11-year veteran officer was attacked by reputed Crips gang member Shemar Shaw, 24, after complaining about a misplaced tablet. The officer, who requested to remain anonymous, described how Shaw ran up behind him and slashed his face with a sharpened piece of metal. The officer likened the pain to feeling like sandpaper scraping across his face.

Shaw, who is being held at Rikers for allegedly assaulting a man on a train in February, has a history of violence. The injured officer expressed concern about Shaw’s lack of fear of consequences for his actions.

Following the attack, the officer was hospitalized for his injuries. He expressed gratitude that the weapon used was not more severe.

In a separate incident four hours later, Bloods gang member Malik Cooke allegedly threw a burning rag at the officer who was filling in for the injured guard. Cooke reportedly manipulated his cell door to light the cloth on fire and throw it at the female officer. She suffered from smoke inhalation but did not sustain serious burns.

Cooke, who was in custody on a second-degree burglary charge, had violated an order of protection in East Harlem in July.

The first assaulted officer revealed that this was the fourth time he had been attacked by an inmate, but the first time he had been slashed. He expressed fear for his safety and called for changes to protect Correction officers and curb violence by inmates.

DOC Commissioner Lynelle Maginley-Liddie confirmed the assaults and stated that the department is seeking justice for the two officers. She emphasized that any act of violence against correction officers will not be tolerated.

COBA President Benny Boscio condemned the spike in jail violence, noting that nearly 600 correction officers had been assaulted in the past year. He called the unprovoked attacks by violent gang members on officers simply doing their jobs as unacceptable. The union is pushing for stricter measures to ensure the safety of Correction officers.