A violent attack on a correctional officer at Bertie Correctional Institution in Windsor, NCย has raised serious concerns about staffing shortages and administrative decisions at the facility. Sources within the prison told The North Carolina Beat that the incident, which occurred around 8:00 a.m. on Saturday, might have been preventable if the prison had been placed on a Code 1 lockdown.
The attack resulted in Captain Ashley Hughes, the Officer in Charge (OIC) at the time, being choked, beaten, and stabbed by inmate Shalan Wilson.
According to a press release from the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction (NCDAC), Wilson, who is serving a life sentence for a 1995 first-degree murder conviction, has since been transferred to the highest-security unit at Granville Correctional Institution.
Leadership’s Alleged Role in the Incident
Sources revealed that Hughes had alerted prison wardens to the facilityโs critical understaffing and requested a Code 1 lockdown to mitigate risks. Her request was allegedly denied, a decision that reportedly left her and other staff vulnerable.
While the exact circumstances leading up to the attack remain unclear, insiders suggest that the lack of adequate staffing, combined with leadershipโs refusal to initiate lockdown protocols, created a hazardous environment for Hughes and other staff.
Staff Raise Alarm Over Persistent Issues
Current and former staff members have expressed frustration with ongoing understaffing issues at Bertie Correctional Institution, which houses over 1,300 inmates. Sources reported that as few as 15 staff members are sometimes tasked with maintaining order at the facility.
Repeated emails to key officials, including Larry Dale, Eastern Region Director; Peter Buchholtz, Deputy Secretary; and Todd Ishee, Secretary of the NCDAC, have allegedly gone unanswered. Some staff members believe the inaction stems from personal relationships between senior officials, such as Ishee and Warden Bruce Hodges.
Sources also reported that there have allegedly been over 10 inmate deaths at the facility, along with multiple violent assaults, labeling the prison as “unsafe” and potentially in violation of federal civil rights laws.
Injury Details and Investigation
In the aftermath of the attack, Hughes was transported to an outside healthcare facility for treatment. According to NCDAC, her injuries were not life-threatening, thanks to her stab-resistant vest. Hughes has since been released to recover at home.
The Windsor Police Department is investigating the incident, and no further details have been released.
Staff members report feeling overworked, stressed, and mentally drained due to poor leadership and severe understaffing, making it increasingly difficult to effectively manage the prison.
The whole Department is a complete failure. When you try to bring light to certain issues they try to hush you. When you refuse to be silent they find away to get rid of you. They slander you and try their best to destroy you. The Warden had power to do thr lock down and all he had to do was notify the Regional Director. That’s why they have policy for those situations. They just don’t want to hear from the Offenders or their families or people going to the news about constant lockdowns so they refuse to do it. Hodges was asked to go there by Ishee, do some checking on his previous assignments. Now the new governor is wanting to make a lawyer the secretary of adult Corrections, no experience in a prison but going to trust that she can straighten it out. Until someone that has actually worked in a prison in the last 20 years is in charge and listens to the staff nothing will change. Yes, the general assembly has to make some changes but the Secretary has alot of authority and power that has not been used.
I used to say nothing will ever change with NC Prisons until someone gets killed, but after several staff members killed in the last few years now I just say it’ll never change.
These issues of understaffed,frustrated and UNDER PAYED OFFICERS are in all of our prisons. I work at Eastern Correctional and we deal with the same BS ! Admin sorry ! They try to keep the complaints within the walls of the institution while doing absolutely NOTHING about the real issues the officers complain about. Some light duty, injured officers are treated better than others and the communication between staff and HR is crappy !! We need an open complaint website connected to all prisons where we can send our grievances to someone WHO WILL ACTUALLY LISTEN and do something ! Oh and don’t let me forget ! ACA is a JOKE ! They don’t gad about what we(officers) think,feel or want ! All they do is implement new rules and regulations that simply result in a tug of war between them and regular prison policy ! We’re simply jammed in between the two ! I could go on but I’ll end it here for NOW !
I am a current SGT at another facility in NC (which I choose not to disclose), and I hear about Bertie ALL THE TIME! It’s a shame that they’re not doing anything to protect their staff. A Code 1 should have been approved. It’s a scary situation that I would NOT want to be a part of. My prayers go out to all the staff that are currently working at this facility. I wouldn’t dare step foot in there. Please stay vigilant everyone!
And guess what.. they still gonna let him keep his job .. they not gonna do anything to Hodges either which is a shame ..
Maximum security prisoners don’t belong in small local jail.
Those CO’s go to work frustrated ( under payed, overworked) and think it’s okay to take their problem out on the inmates. They can’t control their homes, so they misplace their anger and frustrations ( not all, some). Not saying that this is what happened in this particular case. My son was at Bertie about 3 months ago and it was HORRIBLE!!! They were locked down Days/weeks at a time not able to come out the cell (not even to shower). When you lock people up in cells like animals in cages, what do you expect them to act like when they come out??? When you call no one answers the phone or they put you on hold and don’t come back to the phone. The inmates were overdosing on drugs or getting killed. The only way to get drugs and cellphones into the prison is if someone working there brings them in. The Prison system as a WHOLE needs to be reconstructed. But we know that will never happen because some of the people running the court systems are benefiting from the inmates being locked up.
Bertie Correctional isn’t a small local jail, it is a prison. Obviously you didn’t read the article.
Wonder if you talk to your son. He would tell you all sorts of ways contraband gets in the prison, not just by officers.
This isnโt just Bertie, I worked at Hyde for A LONG TIME, and when I tell you short staffed, I mean 3 officers in line up. 3 sergeants, 1 LT, and a sorry a*s Capt. One person to a dorm with 250 inmates. So 3 officers to 750 inmates. RIDICULOUS! It will never change I promise
Officers are so tired of that place don’t nobody cares about the officer it’s been to many stabbings and assaults on officer and the warden or people in Raleigh don’t do anything about it. They need to shut that damn place down. They still bring in more inmate’s knowing Bertie is understaffed do you think the people in Raleigh or Hodge care? HELL, NO they don’t deal with the inmates, and they go home every day at 5:00 or before 5pm this is getting out of hand they are losing staff everyday Bertie prison have been going downhill since Sergeant Callahan died.
If Ishee and Hodges have such a great relationship, why is he at Bertie and not Raleigh where he can make decisions. Somebody has set this man up to fail. Ishee is retiring and moving on. Please pay attention to the facts. Not Opinions Brandy Harris, Operations Deputy Secretary, Peter Buchholtz, Institutions Deputy Secretary, Josh Painter, Prison Operations Director, Larry Dail, Region Director, Burce Hodges, Warden (aka: fall guy)
I work there. Warden Bruceโs Hodges and asst. Warden Victor Locklear are pathological liars
Department of corrections needs to get exposedโฆPoor leadership in Raleigh and prison facilitiesโฆthe management is not for the officers..officers needs a unionโฆprisons are understaffed and officers are constantly getting threatened to get ridden upโฆthe management donโt even address inmates..this has to stop in the state of North Carolina correctionsโฆall prisons should be getting paid for understaffingโฆplease expose department of correctionsโฆthe agency donโt want officers to tell the truth or speak on what is going onโฆ.statewide itโs a messโฆplease expose department of corrections and keep media coverage on this agency..
It’s sad while Mr. Hodges is on the golf course with Mr. Dale his officers are informing their families. The holidays are called off because they’re being mandated to work 6 days a week. Or trying to explain to their childrens school, the reasons they’ve been late or missed so many days. Because they have to stay over 3 -4 hours added to their 12 hour shift. Also, explain to their children that Christmas will be late this month. Because not only will Mommy/Daddy not be paid early they will not be paid until the end of the month.
I speak for ALL when I say, WE ARE TIRED, FED UP & considering giving up. Giving up the pension, 401k 457 all. It’s not worth the misery.
Ok, get the facts straight. Hodges does not even play golf and cannot make decisions w/o Larry Dail approval
You are right, I worked at central and nyc department of correction. You do need a union to fight for correctional officers. The legislature does not care about you, they don’t want to pay you. Why should anybody want that job when they can work at sheetz and make more money.
Get rid of the Warden! Iโm so tired of the Administration not taking care of the officers.
Once again, starts at the Region office to Raleigh. Wardens can only suggest and recommend. Get the facts straight
Truthful must be Bruce Hodges wife the one that bounce around from warden to warden
I have a brother in the NCDAC and those individuals named, Larry Dale, Peter Buchholtz and Todd Ishee donโt respond to my concerns either! Sorry example of leadership. I have a story for you, if interested!
The working conditions at this facility are ridiculous and so very dangerous.
SOMETHING THAT WILL NOT REPORTED BUT THE OIC CONTACTED THAT BASTARD HODGES THAT ONLY HAD 15 OFFICERS TO GO ON A CODE 1 LOCK DOWN BUT HODGES DECLINED THAT REQUEST, HODGES DIDN’T FOLLOW PRODACALL!
Hodges not a good Warden but she call Mr. Ranes and he the one that made the decision not go on Code 1 . He was the duty officer. Mr Ranes was place by Peter he not qualified to run Bertie. Do your research he left the system to home school his kids. He make dumb decisions. The problem is people is place in position because who they know not the experience. Mr Ranes need to go