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Inmate seen attacking Hillsborough Detention Deputy at Falkenburg Road Prison
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Inmate seen attacking Hillsborough Detention Deputy at Falkenburg Road Prison

TAMPA, Fla.Video from inside Tampa’s Falkenburg Road Jail shows the moments an inmate attacked a Hillsborough County jailer nearly two weeks ago.

Raheem Fulton, 25, is charged in the attack, which left the detention deputy with serious injuries, and appeared in a Hillsborough County courtroom where jail video became a new focus in the case.

The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office released video of the attack Thursday. It shows a more than 10-minute standoff that begins with the attack and then other deputies trying to detain the inmate.

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Investigators said Fulton was questioned by the detention deputy inside one of the jail’s housing units. HCSO Detective Robert Wright said when the deputy tried to put Fulton in handcuffs, Fulton broke free and began punching the deputy. The attack lasted four minutes before someone intervened.



<div>Courtesy: Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.</div>
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Courtesy: Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.

“In the middle of the fight, (the deputy) lost his radio, fell to the ground. It was out of his reach. He couldn’t call for help or anything like that,” Wright said in court while testifying Monday.

Finally, several other inmates pull Fulton away from the deputy. In the video, the deputy picks himself up from the ground after that attack and appears to be able to pepper spray Fulton, then lower him back to the ground.

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Another deputy came to assist and then about a dozen other deputies were seen coming to help handcuff Fulton. Deputies are then seen on video restraining Fulton in a chair.

Investigators said the deputy suffered multiple serious injuries, including a broken orbital bone.

Hillsborough State Attorney Suzy Lopez said she plans to try the case herself and push for the maximum 30-year sentence for Fulton, who she said has a history of violent crimes.

Earlier this week, the sheriff’s office asked a judge to block the media from recording security video of the attack. The video was to be used in a hearing for Fulton.

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Hillsborough Sheriff Chad Chronister this week highlighted safety concerns about the release of the video.

“Until we could put some mechanisms in there and mitigate some of these security issues that we identified with this act of violence against our deputy — I thought other people might see it and they would he could think, ‘hey, listen, if anybody can do this, I can do it,'” Chronister said. “That’s the only reason. At some point, when I fix it, I will release it then.”

On Thursday, the sheriff said he released the video in a way that protects safety and security.

“The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office prioritizes the safety and security of all individuals in our secure facilities, including the Falkenburg Road Jail,” an HCSO spokesperson said. “While these environments require strict security measures, we are equally committed to maintaining transparency in our operations.”

FOX 13 previously spoke with Joe Rojas, a retired corrections officer and federal union representative, who shared his concerns about the attack.

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“It seems like forever, just for a minute, let alone four minutes,” Rojas said. “It’s ridiculous and it’s scary. It’s amazing he survived. Thank God he survived.”

Rojas said he was shocked to hear how long the attack took.

“To fight, let alone a minute to fight for your life,” Rojas said.

Rojas asked if this incident underscores a staffing problem in detention centers across the country.

“Staff from the state, to the city, to the county,” Rojas said. “And, we’re all dealing with the same thing. It’s incredibly low and dangerous.”

On Thursday, the sheriff filed another motion asking that surveillance video from inside the jail remain confidential. The motion said the full surveillance video reveals the location and number of jail surveillance cameras and the location of jail deputies.

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