GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — FOX 17 has learned that a handful of inmates at the Kent County Correctional Facility were pepper-sprayed and shot with non-lethal pepper balls during a weekend incident at the jail.
“On Saturday, January 22nd, 2022 a corrections deputy smelled smoke, possibly contraband, while on a block check,” Sgt. Eric Brunner with the Kent County Sheriff’s Office told FOX17 in a Monday statement. “In order to find out its source, inmates were advised to move to their respective cells. Several inmates did follow the direction, yet some remained non-compliant and remained in the day use area. On-duty staff were summoned to assist in securing the housing unit and cells.”
“OC spray and pepper balls were deployed and were effective in moving non-compliant inmates back into their cells,” the statement continued. “These tools provide an alternative to attempting to physically move several inmates at a time by physical force. With the latter, there is more risk of injury to the inmate and staff.”
While the jail maintains that the smell of smoke kicked off the incident, family of inmates told FOX17 that the issues are rooted in health and safety issues.
Ashley Lee, whose fiancé is jailed in the facility and exchanged text messages with her from his jail-issued iPad while the incident unfolded Saturday night, says inmates have been ignored in their calls for additional cleaning supplies.
“They refused them cleaning supplies for weeks at a time,” said Lee, speaking to FOX17 over a Zoom call Monday. “I just don’t feel like they should be having to live like that.”
Lee says Saturday night, she got a text from her fiancé saying corrections officers were using non-lethal force inside the block where he’s housed. Even though she’s tried calling the jail, she hasn’t been able to speak to him since.
“The last message I got from him was it was hard for him to breathe and that he was waiting for medical, and I haven’t talked to him since,” she said. “I don’t know, did he get sick from this? Is he okay?”
Ashley says she’s also spoken to loved ones of other inmates, who’ve shared similar concerns.
“My cousin, he’s said that he’s in a totally different pod and he said that he couldn’t breathe; that it was coming through the vents,” said Lee. “People could be seriously injured or hurt, can’t breathe for real, and they’re just sitting in a cell with nobody.”
The jail said in their statement that inmates with health or safety concerns should reach out to the jail’s full-time maintenance or medical teams.
As for the use of force Saturday, the jail called their means of non-lethal force “effective in moving non-compliant inmates back into their cells.”
They also denied that black mold had been found inside the facility, something else FOX17 had received tips on.
Read the full statement from the Kent County Correctional Facility:
On Saturday January 22nd, 2022 a corrections deputy smelled smoke, possibly contraband, while on a block check. In order to find out its source, inmates were advised to move to their respective cells. Several inmates did follow the direction, yet some remained noncompliant and remained in the day use area. On duty staff were summoned to assist in securing the housing unit and cells. The inmates were moved back into their cells by staff for the safety of everyone involved. We cannot speak to the security protocols within the jail for obvious security reasons. The correctional facility staff are trained in diffusing situations and maintaining control of the overall facility. Our goal is to provide for a safe environment for all inmates and staff on a day-to-day basis.
“In order to find out its source, inmates were advised to move to their respective cells. Several inmates did follow the direction, yet some remained noncompliant and remained in the day use area. On duty staff were summoned to assist in securing the housing unit and cells. The inmates were moved back into their cells by staff for the safety of everyone involved.”
“There has not been black mold found in the jail. As always, if staff or inmates find a health and safety concern, we have a full time maintenance and medical team to address issues.”
“In reference to force used. A handful of inmates refused to return to their cells. OC spray and pepper balls were deployed and were effective in moving non-compliant inmates back into their cells. These tools provide an alternative to attempting to physically move several inmates at a time by physical force. With the later, there is more risk of injury to the inmate and staff.”
- Sgt. Eric Brunner, Kent County Sheriff’s Office
