San Bernardino, California – A violent incident at the West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga was captured by surveillance cameras, showing an inmate armed with a makeshift metal knife attempting to stab a deputy. The incident occurred on June 11 at around 2:45 p.m., according to a news release from the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department.
The inmate involved in the attack, identified as 25-year-old Christopher Lommie Jackson, has been in custody since 2019 on multiple violent charges, including the alleged murder of Subhi Baghdadi, 51, of Anaheim. Jackson, who had previously attempted to stab another inmate, launched himself out of a cell with a shiv in hand, attacking a deputy and engaging in a violent struggle on the ground.
Additional deputies quickly intervened to subdue Jackson, who was eventually brought under control after the altercation. The 45-year-old deputy involved suffered moderate injuries to his face and was treated and released from a local hospital. The condition of the other inmate attacked by Jackson prior to the deputy assault remains unclear.
Violent assaults on deputies at correctional facilities like the West Valley Detention Center pose a significant danger to county employees. In San Bernardino County, there were 236 reported assaults on deputies from 2020-2023, with 51 violent attacks recorded this year alone.
San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon Dicus emphasized the serious threat that violent behavior poses to the safety and security of staff and inmates within correctional facilities. Charges of attempted murder have been filed against Jackson in connection with the attack on the deputy, and the case has been turned over to the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office for further legal action.