PHOENIX — Prison officials have state troopers joining them in an investigation to identify who leaked videos of a long and violent inmate assault on a corrections officer.
A union official told ABC15 that dozens of employees have been brought in for questioning, so far.
"(The videos have) got them upset," said Carlos Garcia, who’s with the Arizona Correctional Peace Officers Association.
“They want, they're looking for a confession," he said.
On late August, ABC15 first exposed video of a July attack in July that lasted more than three minutes. The footage shows there was zero backup or response. Days later, ABC15 then obtained leaked body camera footage of the same attack and revealed that prison officials did not submit charges against the inmate until after they found out the news station had the video.
ABC15 then obtained a leaked email showing top officials telling prison supervisors there would now be a no-tolerance policy for violent assaults.
Garcia said he did not have an exact figure for how many people have been interviewed so far, but said the number is several dozen.
"We don't have a specific number. They're still doing it, so I don't know if there's going to be more or after this there's going to be less. But there's over 40 right now," Garcia said.
Both the Department of Corrections and the Department of Public Safety confirmed there is an investigation but did not provide additional information.
"ADCRR does not comment on active investigations," prison officials wrote in an emailed statement.
DPS also responded, writing, "The investigation remains active and per our protocol, we never comment on an ongoing investigation.”
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Since prison director Dr. Ryan Thornell took over, the total number of assaults inside state lockup has more than doubled.
ABC15 has now obtained three additional leaked videos documenting that violence.
One body camera video, from May 27 at the Eyman prison in Florence, shows an officer being sucker punched by an inmate.
Another surveillance video from Aug. 8, also at the Eyman prison, shows an officer being punched and attacked by an inmate before backup arrives.
A third surveillance video from Sept. 29, again at the Eyman prison, shows a single officer surrounded and attacked outside in the rain by inmates.
Over the years, ABC15 has reported on several videos leaked from state prisons, and insiders leak them because they feel it is the only way for things to change.
Back in 2019, ABC15 obtained leaked videos proving the entire Lewis prison had cell doors that did not lock.
It was chaos, and the problem had persisted for years while prison officials ignored it.
After ABC15 aired those videos, the locks were finally fixed and the prison director quickly retired.
This digital article was produced with the assistance of AI and converted to this platform based on the broadcast story written and reported by ABC15 Chief Investigator Dave Biscobing (Dave@abc15.com). Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
