BILLINGS - Two inmates at the Yellowstone County Detention Facility have been charged with attempted murder for an attack on two corrections officers.
Myron Scott Goesahead, 20, and Ashtin Zant Glen, 19, were both charged Monday in Yellowstone County District Court with attempted deliberate homicide and possession of a deadly weapon by a prisoner in facility. The men have yet to be arraigned on the charges.
“Some of the inmates that we have on there just don’t really have much regard for the safety of others,” said Yellowstone County Sheriff Mike Linder Monday.
According to charging documents and Linder, the attacks happened at the jail on Saturday evening in the Class B area of the facility, one of four units that house violent and high-risk inmates. Two corrections officers were attacked by two inmates who were armed with homemade knives, called "shanks," made out of sharpened toothbrushes with cloth handles.
A female corrections officer was conducting a security check as another male officer was nearby when they were attacked, charging documents state.
The attacks were captured on jail security cameras.
"Goesahead is seen walking up to and rushing (the male officer) and pushing him into the class corridor," charging documents state.
Another camera caught the attack on the officers.
"The corridor camera shows Goesahead punching (the male officer) in the face with (his) right hand and holding (the female officer) with his left," charging documents state. "Goesahead stops punching and begins hammer fist striking and stabbing (the male officer) in the back of the head."
During the attack, Glen is accused of grabbing the female officer by her ponytail and "hitting her in the back of the head and attempting to stab her in the back of the head."
Two people identified in court records only by their initials intervened in the attack, including one who put Glen in a chokehold rendering him unconscious before tossing him to the ground, the charging documents state. A second person ran to assist the male officer. It was unclear from the documents if the two were inmates or jail staff.
“We have a very full jail right now and again, somewhat understaffed, so we have to do the best we can to keep everybody safe,” Linder said.
Goesahead was being held in the jail after being charged for the Nov. 1, 2023 deaths of a Billings man and his infant son.
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Glen was being held in the facility following a shooting in Lockwood in November.
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Prosecutors said a note with a map of the jail housing unit "with a red circle where the attack occurred" was recovered from Goesahead and indicates the attack was pre-planned.
Linder said Monday one of the officers attacked in the incident was taken to a Billings hospital with injuries to his head and neck. He was treated and discharged later Saturday night. The other officer was "evaluated at the facility," Linder said.
"Security video shows that the attacks were unprovoked, and that the suspects were using their fists, as well as improvised weapons during the attack," the sheriff said.
Goesahead and Glen are expected to appear for arraignment on Tuesday, Linder said.
