Correctional Officer Andrew Lansing's life was tragically ended on Christmas Day during a brutal attack by inmate Rashawn Cannon at Ross Correctional Institution, where Lansing had volunteered to work the holiday shift. According to Local12, the guard shack, where Lansing was stationed, was typically a place bustling with inmates heading to morning meals. Yet, Cannon diverged from his route to the dining hall to carry out the attack.
New information from an incident report indicated that Cannon was armed with a personal weapon, the specifics of which have not been disclosed. Annette Chambers-Smith, Director of the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation & Corrections, revealed in a statement obtained by Local12 that "He veered away from going to the dining hall and instead went to where Officer Lansing was working and attacked him brutally."
Prior incidents had highlighted a troubled pattern with Cannon, who was serving his term at Ross Correctional. Officer Lansing had filed a conduct report on April 1, accusing Cannon of misconduct while on the telephone, as documented by NBC4i. The situation escalated to the point where other inmates began congregating, prompting Lansing to issue a direct order, which Cannon disobeyed, resulting in a guilty ruling from the prison rules board.
Moreover, Lansing had previously documented further disobedience when, in March, he wrote up Cannon for possessing homemade alcohol and K2 in his cell, as reported by The Columbus Dispatch. K2, or synthetic marijuana, has been an ongoing issue within the prison, with Cannon testing positive for it multiple times. The Ohio State Highway Patrol is currently investigating the circumstances leading to Officer Lansing's death.
