Rush City prisoner’s death from ‘obvious injuries’ investigated as homicide

An inmate died in a Minnesota prison this week after an apparent fight with his cellmate.

Shannon Loehrke, communications director for Minnesota’s Department of Corrections, said correctional officers found the man injured and unresponsive with “obvious injuries” when answering a call of an inmate down in their cell on Thursday afternoon.

Staff and emergency medical workers tried helping the man, who died at the scene.

“Preliminary information suggests that an altercation occurred between the victim and his cellmate,” a DOC news release read, adding that investigators will focus on what led to that altercation. “An autopsy will be performed by the Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office to determine the manner and cause of death.”

Loehrke said authorities will share more information as they investigate with help from the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the Chisago County Sheriff’s Office and the DOC’s Office of Special Investigations.

Incidents at Rush City prison have troubled authorities and inmates for years. An inmate attacked correctional officers in August, stabbing one with a shank and injuring three others. Inmates claimed months earlier that they were being served yellow, rotten chicken and other foods not made for human consumption. Authorities denied those allegations and said the foods meet safety requirements.