Tennessee Authorities Confirm Investigation of Prison Stabbings

Tennessee Corrections Communications Director Neysa Taylor told Sputnik that the department was investigating a series of stabbings that left eight prisoners injured on Friday.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The Corrections Department in the US state of Tennessee is investigating a series of stabbings that left eight prisoners injured on Friday, Tennessee Corrections Communications Director Neysa Taylor told Sputnik on Monday.

“There is an ongoing investigation into the incident,” Taylor said, but added the authorities are not able to divulge any aspects or findings of the investigation.

On Friday night, eight prisoners from the Northwest Correction Complex in Tiptonville, Tennessee, were taken to hospitals after they wre wounded in stabbings.

Media has since reported of increasing tensions among prisoners belonging to different street gangs — a problem exemplified by a shortage of prison guards. The prison in Tiptonville has since been put on lockdown and no prison staff have been injured.

Northwest Correction workers have expressed safety concerns in the past about as a result of the severe shortage of prison guards.

The shortage reportedly resulted as Tennessee changed the prison guard’s schedule from a 40-hour-work week to a 28-day cycle to save $1.4 million in overtime costs.