ANAMOSA, Iowa - The union representing Iowa prison workers says a shortage in staffing led to the killing of two workers this week in Anamosa.
“You don’t want to know what was going through my head when I heard about this,” AFSCME Council 61 President Danny Homan told KCRG-TV Wednesday. “I have said more than once that something like this might happen if we don’t fix the staffing levels of our prisons, and unfortunately, that came true."
The Iowa Department of Corrections says 50-year-old nurse Lorena Schulte and 46-year-old Officer Robert McFarland were the victims in Tuesday's attack.
Inmates Thomas Woodard and Michael Dutcher are accused of killing the staffers with hammers during an escape attempt. The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation is still investigating this case, but have already filed murder charges against both inmates.
The inmates were able to check out hammers and a metal grinder for the escape from the prison tool shop.
According to KCRG, staffing levels at Iowa prisons have declined for more than a decade. In 2009, there were more than 4,200 workers, including 1,600 corrections officers. By 2020, there was a 40% decrease with about 2,600 employees and 1,400 corrections officers.
Department of Correction Director Beth Skinner said staffing levels were normal when the prison workers were killed in Anamosa Tuesday.