A 37-year-old inmate from Los Angeles County serving 112 years to life for a killing in 2013 was being investigated Friday for allegedly trying to kill a corrections officer who suffered cuts to his head and face during an attack at Calipatria State Prison in Imperial County.
The inmate was identified as Douglas Compton, who was sentenced in June 2013 after being convicted of second-degree murder, according to Lt. Ernesto Bustamante of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
The attack on the corrections officer occurred about 10:35 a.m. Thursday, Bustamante said.
Three corrections officers approached Douglas, who had refused to leave an out-of-bounds area of a maximum-security general population yard, according to Bustamante.
"Compton attacked one of the officers, stabbing him in his head and face," Bustamante said. "Responding officers used batons, pepper spray and other use-of-force options to stop the incident."
Compton allegedly punched two other officers and refused to halt his attack before an officer in a guard tower fired a lethal round from a state-issued Mini-14 rifle. The shot halted the attack, though no one was struck, Bustamante said.
"Five officers and one sergeant were injured and taken to an outside hospital," according to Bustamante. "The first officer who was attacked suffered cuts on his face and head. The others were treated for cuts, slashes and sprains. All were treated and released and are recovering."
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Compton received cuts to his forehead, a cut above his left eye and was exposed to pepper spray. He was treated and then taken to another prison, Bustamante said.
"Two inmate-made weapons were recovered," Bustamante said.
Compton had been convicted of second-degree murder, voluntary manslaughter with the use of a firearm and possession of a firearm by an ex-felon with the use of an altered ID, according to Bustamante.
"Compton had prior convictions for vandalism, possession of a firearm, robbery, assault with a firearm on a person, corporal injury and making criminal threats," Bustamante said.
