A Davidson County Sheriff's Office sergeant remained out of work this week after he was allegedly beaten by an inmate inside Nashville's Downtown Detention Center, an attack that left him with a shoulder injury serious enough to keep him off the job. Sgt. Benjamin Dejongh was called in on Sept. 19 to help with an inmate who was reportedly refusing to return to his cell. By the end of that encounter, Dejongh had fallen to the ground and needed to be hospitalized.
According to WSMV, the inmate, 31-year-old Dshon Stewart, allegedly began striking Dejongh with closed fists, hitting him numerous times, including in the face. Dejongh fell during the alleged attack and required hospitalization, the station reported. He sustained a rotator cuff injury and, as of late September, had still not returned to work while receiving treatment for it.
Charges Filed Against Inmate
Charges of felony assault on a law enforcement officer with injury and fugitive from justice were filed against Stewart on Monday in Davidson County, per the station's report. A judge is scheduled to review his case Wednesday. The outcome of that review has not yet been reported.
The attack came just five months after Dejongh was recognized as the Davidson County Sheriff's Office's Officer of the Month, according to the same account. In a social media post cited by the station, the sheriff's office credited Dejongh with helping prevent harmful substances from reaching other inmates, saying his proactive actions enhanced the safety and security of the jails and helped save lives.
Pattern of Attacks on Tennessee Jail Staff
Dejongh's case is not the only recent instance of a Nashville-area correctional officer landing in the hospital after a confrontation with an inmate. A Davidson County correctional officer was hospitalized following an inmate attack reported in late March, according to Action News 5. Separately, a Davidson County Sheriff's Office corporal was reported to be recovering from injuries after a violent attack at a downtown Nashville courthouse, according to WKRN.
The pattern extends beyond Nashville. A Tennessee correctional officer was hospitalized after an inmate attack over a weekend in early September, according to the Tennessee Department of Corrections as reported by WSMV. Days later, a Grundy County correctional officer was taken to the hospital following a separate inmate assault, according to Local 3 News. The same outlet has also reported on the fatal stabbing of Tennessee correctional officer Dustin Pedigo, in which an inmate identified as Reginald Steed was named as the perpetrator while the Tennessee Department of Correction conducted an ongoing investigation.
The U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Justice Programs maintains a research category focused specifically on assaults on corrections officers, underscoring that such incidents remain a recognized concern within the field nationally.
