Inmate attacks officer at court

OLYMPIA, Wash. – An inmate being escorted by a female corrections officer jammed a courthouse elevator and attacked her Friday, struggling with the officer for 20 minutes and finally grabbing her gun just before other officers pried open the elevator doors, officials said.

The other officers then quickly subdued the inmate, identified as 62-year-old Carl Vance.

Both the inmate and the officer, who was not identified, were taken to a hospital for treatment of unspecified injuries that were not believed to be serious, county spokesman John Tennis said.

“They struggled till the very end,” said Karen Daniels, county corrections chief. “She was able to keep the gun away from him – and at the very end he was able to get the gun just as the doors opened.”