Sheriff: Inmate Assaults, Seriously Injures Correctional Officer At Sherburne County Jail

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – An inmate at the Sherburne County jail attacked a correctional officer on Monday morning, sending the officer to the hospital with serious injuries.

The 50-year-old officer, whose name has not been released, is expected to make a full recovery. He's worked for the jail for 16 years.

Sheriff Joel Brott says Hakeem Alexander Coles attacked him just after 11:30 a.m. The officer appears to have been checking cells at the time, and as he walked passed Coles, he was struck from behind on the right side of the head.

When the officer fell to the ground, Coles continued to hit him in the head several times, according to the sheriff.

Other officers intervened eventually, detaining Coles.

Afterwards during a interview, Coles said he "hadn't had any previous contact with the officer he assaulted and that he had a hatred for all law enforcement," according to a release.

Coles, 24, who is imprisoned on federal first-degree aggravated robbery charges, allegedly told officers he was "going to assault the next officer he saw, no matter who it was."

Coles could now face federal charges of assaulting a correctional officer.