LOS ANGELES, CA – A California correctional officer was hospitalized after being attacked by three inmates at Pelican Bay State Prison, prompting an attempted homicide investigation, state officials said Thursday.
The attack occurred at approximately 7:15 a.m. in the prison’s dining hall, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR). Authorities identified the inmates as Jose Gonzalez and Luis Torres, both transferred from Los Angeles County, and Richard Wilson, who was serving multiple sentences for violent offenses.
Officials said the three inmates assaulted the officer with an inmate-manufactured weapon before prison staff intervened, deploying pepper spray to halt the attack. The officer sustained puncture wounds and lacerations and was transported to a hospital outside the facility, where he was admitted for observation. His condition was not immediately disclosed.
Prison staff recovered a weapon at the scene, which was placed into evidence.
Gonzalez, 38, was transferred to Pelican Bay in 2008 and is serving a life sentence with the possibility of parole for first-degree murder and firearm-related charges. Torres, 34, was transferred in 2014 under a similar life sentence for first-degree murder. Wilson, 32, was sent to the facility in 2015 after being convicted of driving under the influence with a prior felony. He later received additional sentences for assault and possession of a deadly weapon while incarcerated.
Following the attack, all three inmates were transferred to another institution and placed in restricted housing. CDCR officials said the case would be referred to the Del Norte County District Attorney’s Office for potential felony charges.
Pelican Bay State Prison, established in 1989, houses more than 2,000 inmates, including those in high-security and maximum-security custody. The facility is located near Crescent City, close to the Oregon-California border.
