On Monday, Rikers Island inmates assaulted two New York City correctional officers in separate attacks.

The officers, whose identities have not been released, were left bloodied and battered, although they received medical attention.

According to the New York Post, the first attack happened at about 1 p.m. inside the George R. Vierno Center. An officer was attacked when he tried to break up what appeared to be a gang fight between about ten inmates.

The inmates broke out of a cell and onto the tier, ignoring the officer’s order to stop fighting even after he sprayed them with pepper spray.

Instead, the inmates armed themselves with food pans and garbage cans and began beating each other. 

In an interview with the New York Post, the officer explained that the item struck his hand and sliced it open.

“I was trying to prevent multiple inmates from fighting each other,” the officer said. “A lot of other items were being thrown, and one of them struck my hand and sliced it open.”

A response team eventually broke up the fight, returning the inmates to their respective cells.

Five hours later, the second incident happened in the Robert N. Davoren Complex. This time, it involved a female officer who was punched in the face by her assailant despite spraying him with pepper spray.

In an interview with the New York Post, the officer explained that she briefly lost consciousness and was then escorted to the clinic.

“I gave him a direct order: “Stop it,” she said. “The verbal command didn’t work, and I sprayed straight into his face, but the spray wasn’t effective, and he punched me with his fist and knocked me out. I lost consciousness for a couple of seconds, and then I was escorted away to the clinic.”

The officer said she had several facial and sinus fractures, as well as a cut under her eye.

“It’s a horrible feeling,” she said. “My face is messed up for what? Because I did my job? I don’t wish this on any officers. We try to do our best.”

The officer’s attacker, identified as Tymirh Bey-Foster, alongside several other inmates, was dealt with by other officers. They were also sprayed with more OC spray before the officers restrained them.

Bey-Foster is reportedly an alleged gang member detained on murder charges related to a shooting incident. The incident occurred in Queens on New Year’s Eve 2020 and left a 26-year-old dead.