Inmate assaulted at B.C. maximum-security prison, 3rd in under a week

Kent Institution in the Fraser Valley of B.C. is seen in this file photo. (CTV)

An inmate was assaulted Friday at B.C.’s only maximum-security federal prison, according to officials, marking the third such incident in just under a week.

The victim of the March 29 assault at Kent Institution in Agassiz was taken to a hospital outside the prison to be treated for injuries.

“The assailants have been identified and the appropriate actions have been taken,” reads a media release issued Tuesday. “No staff members or other inmates were injured during this incident.”

The other assaults happened on March 24 and 26, and in both cases the victims were injured badly enough to be transported to an outside hospital. News releases for those incidents also said the perpetrators had been identified and appropriate actions taken.

All three assaults are under investigation by the Correctional Service of Canada and the Agassiz RCMP.

Kim MacPherson, assistant warden for management services at the prison, told CTV News she couldn’t say if the three assaults were related as they are still being investigated.

She also could not disclose whether any victims had returned to the prison or if the same inmate was targeted more than once.

”The safety and security of institutions, their staff, and the public remains the highest priority in the operations of the federal correctional system,” Tuesday’s news release continues.

“In order to improve practices aimed at preventing this type of incident, the Correctional Service of Canada will review the circumstances of the incident and take the appropriate measures.”