Officials said the employee was working in the prison’s kitchen and was shot by an inmate who had a gun.
ATLANTA — A food service employee was shot and killed at Smith State Prison in Georgia on Sunday, according to the state’s Department of Corrections.
The Georgia Department of Corrections said that inmate Jaydrekus Hart allegedly fatally shot a food service worker in the prison’s kitchen at about 4:30 a.m. Sunday, then used the gun to kill himself.
“The weapon is in GDC custody at this time, and a complete and thorough investigation of what led up to this tragic incident will be carried out,” the statement said.
The slain kitchen worker, 24-year-old Aureon Shavea Grace of Statesboro, had worked at the prison since January, according to the corrections department. She was employed by Aramark, a Philadelphia-based company that provides food service for prisons in Georgia and other U.S. states
“We are heartbroken over the loss of our colleague, and our hearts and prayers go out to her family,” Aramark spokesperson Debbie Albert said in an emailed statement. “This is a tragedy for all of us.”
Albert said the company was assisting Georgia prison officials in their investigation.
Authorities said they are working on completing the investigation into what led up to the incident.
In general, this is the second killing of a staff member at Smith State Prison in less than a year. Correctional officer Robert Clark, 42, died last October after an inmate he was escorting attacked him from behind with a homemade weapon.
Smith State Prison, which has capacity for 1,500 inmates, is a close-security prison that houses offenders considered violent or an escape risk.
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