Correction Officer Andrew Lansing died on Christmas Day at Ross Correctional Institution in Chillicothe, Ohio allegedly at the hands of an inmate. Lansing, a long-time and well-respected employee at the facility, succumbed to his injuries following the early morning assault.
“It is with great sadness that I confirm the tragic death of Correction Officer Andrew Lansing following an inmate assault that occurred at Ross Correctional Institution this morning,” a spokesperson from the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction (ODRC) said in a prepared statement late Wednesday. “Officer Lansing was loved by his colleagues and known to be a great support for his fellow staff members. His untimely death on Christmas Day is heartbreaking.”
The incident prompted the Ohio Civil Service Employees Association (OCSEA) – the union representing correction officers – to demand accountability, the Columbus Dispatch reported on Thursday. The union’s president, Chris Mabe, called the incident a “horrendous and heart-wrenching” reminder of the dangers correction officers face on a daily basis. Mabe also emphasized the ongoing staffing shortages at Ohio’s correctional facilities, which have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ross Correctional Institution, which houses 1,865 inmates, has been grappling with understaffing. According to Mabe, the facility was short by as many as 40 officers as of the day of Lansing’s death. Many staffers working on Christmas Day were likely covering shifts due to staffing shortages, including overtime hours, he told the Dispatch.
A facility report released earlier this year stated Ross Correctional Institution employed 320 correctional officers, and noted that, “[t]here were 59 total vacancies (11.1%), including 47 for officer positions (12.8%).”
Mabe said, “The deaths of correction officers should not be treated as just part of the job. We need to take action now to ensure this does not happen again.”
The suspect in Lansing’s death is inmate Rashawn L. Cannon. Cannon was identified by the Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSHP), which is leading the investigation, the Dispatch reported. Cannon, who began serving his sentence in September 2023 for felonious assault and weapons charges, was transferred to another facility for safety reasons as the investigation continues.
Meanwhile, Ross Correctional Institution has been placed on restricted movement.
“We ask that you keep Officer Lansing’s family and loved ones in your thoughts and prayers at this devastating and tragic time,” the ODRC said.
Gov. Mike DeWine on Thursday ordered the flags lowered to half-mast “until sunset on the day of his funeral” in honor of Lansing and his years of service.
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Christina Botteri is the Executive Editor at The Arizona Sun Times and The Star News Network. Follow her on Twitter / X @christinakb.
Image “Andrew Lansing” by Thin Blue Line and “Ross Correctional Institution” by Ross Correctional Institution.
