An Illinois inmate in a wheelchair disarmed a correctional officer at a courthouse before another deputy shot him, intense video shows.
Fredrick Goss, 55, was uncuffed and being transported to a jury trial at the Jefferson County Courthouse in Mt. Vernon on Oct. 26 when he grabbed a correctional officer’s gun as he bent down, according to shocking surveillance video released by Illinois State Police.
The footage shows Goss, who was awaiting trial on charges including armed robbery, lunge out of his wheelchair to swipe the correctional officer’s gun, setting off a struggle, state police said.
A sheriff’s deputy assigned to courthouse security then noticed the incident on a surveillance camera and rushed to the officer’s aid. The clip shows Goss struggling to stand and appearing to aim the weapon at the responding deputy who opened fire, wounding the man awaiting trial, state police said.
Goss was later taken to a hospital near St. Louis for treatment of his injuries. An update on his condition was not immediately clear. The deputy who struggled with him wasn’t hurt, while the correctional officer had minor injuries and was treated at a hospital, according to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.
Goss was charged in June with armed robbery and aggravated discharge of a firearm in Mt. Vernon, KFVS reported. He was being held at a hospital under police guard prior to the scheduled court appearance, the station reported.
Mt. Vernon police responded to a gas station robbery on June 2 and spotted Goss, who matched a description of the suspect in the heist. Goss was wounded during an exchange of gunfire between him and an officer during a brief chase, KFVS reported. The officer involved was not hurt.
Goss has a status hearing in his case set for Nov. 30. The Oct. 26 attack, meanwhile, remains under investigation by state police and the Jefferson County State’s Attorney Office.
With Post wires