Tuesday, December 10, 2024

Schuylkill County Prison Inmate Faces Charges in Razor Blade Assault


An inmate at Schuylkill County Prison faces additional charges after an attack Monday evening.

According to Pottsville Police, on Monday, December 9th, 2024, around just before 8:00pm, City Police Officers was dispatched to Schuylkill County Prison for an assault report. The complainant stated an inmate was assaulted by another inmate with a razor.

Upon arrival police made contact with the prison staff was informed that while the staff member was working on housing Unit C, he witnessed inmate, 33-year-old Erick Thompson, come from behind the pillar and assault the male victim swinging at him with closed fists in a violent manner. 

While staff attempted to separate both inmates, he observed Thompson dropping a dark colored pen with a razor blade thrown to the ground and observed visible injury to the victim's neck and back consisting of bleeding slash marks.

While interviewing the male victim, he stated Thompson made multiple threats towards him and days prior stating he was going to “kill, stab, and cut" him once he gets the chance. After reviewing video footage from the prison, it showed Thompson striking the victim multiple times until staff intervened and stops the attack. Thompson then threw the weapon to the ground. Thompson's actions posed a substantial risk of serious bodily injury to the male victim as he violently slashed at the victim’s neck/throat with the razor shank. 

Due to the assault, the victim suffered multiple lacerations on the left side of his back and on the right side of his neck/throat for which he was treated at the prison.

Based upon the information learned during the investigation, police requested a warrant of arrest charging Erick Thompson with Aggravated assault (F1), Aggravated assault with deadly weapon (F2), Terroristic threats (M1), Simple assault (M2), and Harassment (S).

Since Thompson was being held in the prison on an unrelated matter, arrangements will be made to have the preliminary arraignment before Magisterial District Judge Reiley at a later date.