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WINDSOR – As NC Dept. of Public Safety officials plan to temporarily close three correctional facilities to address staffing shortages at others, an officer here at Bertie Correctional Institution (BCI) is recovering following a weekend attack by an inmate.

A spokesperson with the department said the incident occurred at approximately 10:07 a.m. on Saturday in a housing area at the state prison, located on Cooper Hill Road (NC 305). The offender used a homemade weapon in the attack.

The BCI employee was taken to a local hospital for treatment for non-life-threatening injuries.

The prison was placed on immediate lockdown following the attack.

The department spokesperson said the incident is under internal investigation and local law enforcement was contacted. DPS is cooperating with law enforcement and will pursue criminal prosecution against any offender involved in the assault.

BCI gained national attention in 2017 when Sgt. Meggan Callahan was beaten to death by an inmate using a fire extinguisher.

Last month, NCDPS announced it was shutting down three prisons in the state in an effort to address understaffing issues at its larger facilities. Bertie Correctional is among those state prisons facing staffing issues.