Nov. 1, 2012 — At approximately 2:40 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 31, a 36-year-old High Desert State Prison (HDSP) inmate was shot in the right hip as he was kicking another inmate in the head.

Two additional suspects were also seen kicking the victim of the assault. HDSP, Facility A staff saw the victim being kicked in the head with boots and ordered the three suspects to stop the assault. After the suspects failed to stop the assault the Facility A, staff fired two warning shots. The suspects continued the assault and one of the suspects was shot in the right hip.

The victim of the assault lost consciousness during the incident. He was treated at the HDSP Correctional Treatment Center and was later transported to an outside hospital for additional treatment. The inmate suspect that sustained the gunshot wound was transported to an outside hospital for treatment.

The second and third suspects in this case were not injured and were placed in administrative segregation.

The victim was received from Los Angeles County and is serving a 33-year to life sentence for murder. The inmate’s name is being withheld pending notification of next of kin. Lt. Nick Albonico, a public information officer at HDSP, said the institution does not release the identify of injured inmates until the next of kin has been notified.

The first suspect is a 36 year old received from Los Angeles County and is serving a three year, eight month sentence for possession of controlled substances for sale. The names of the suspects are being withheld pending investigation into this incident.

The second suspect is a 29 year old received from Orange County and is serving a 37-year sentence for kidnapping.

The third suspect is a 30 year old received from Orange County and is serving a 9-year sentence for selling controlled substances.

The case is under investigation by the Lassen County District Attorney’s Office, the Investigative Services Unit at HDSP and the Deadly Force Investigation Team. The Office of Inspector General, Bureau of Independent review was notified.

HDSP, located in Lassen County, opened in 1995 and houses 3,537, minimum-, medium- and maximum-custody inmates. The institution provides academic classes and vocational instruction and employs more than 1,275 people.