Rikers Island corrections officer slashed

An inmate or possibly two inmates slashed a Rikers Island correction officer Thursday afternoon, according to reports. The Correction Department confirmed that the guard suffered an "unprovoked assault with a weapon" and is being treated in a hospital.

The union that represents correction officers said that the guard was "bleeding from multiple slash wounds to his head and face."

"Our members face life and death danger every single day when they walk into work, and incidents like this are exactly why we need to be a part of these policy discussions," Norman Seabrook, the president of the Correction Officers' Benevolent Association, said in a statement. "It is an outrage that the lives and safety of brave Correction Officers like this young man do not seem to be a priority."

The Correction Department said: "Safety is Commissioner Ponte's top priority and he has zero tolerance for assaults on staff. The Department is seeking re-arrest of any inmate involved."