BREAKING UPDATE: Sheriff Mehr confirms jailers injured
DOWNTOWN JACKSON — Sheriff John Mehr confirmed two inmates assaulted two female jailers inside the Annex at the Madison County Courthouse late Friday night. He spoke with WBBJ 7 Eyewitness News around 1:30 a.m. Saturday. According to the sheriff, the two inmates — juveniles charged as adults — overpowered a female jailer as she responded to an issue inside a jail cell. Mehr said they used a fire extinguisher in their escape. One of the inmates was able to get onto the roof where he was taken into custody. The other inmate was found hiding in a closet of the courthouse, according to Mehr. The sheriff confirms both inmates will now face additional charges of kidnapping and aggravated assault. He would not release their names. The jailers were taken by ambulance to a local hospital, but their conditions were not released. However, Mehr said one suffered serious head injuries. The sheriff said jail overcrowding at the Criminal Justice Complex contributed to this incident. Stay tuned to WBBJ 7 Eyewitness News for the latest.
