Timia Cobb
syracuse.com
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — An inmate at the Onondaga County Justice Center has been charged with attempted murder after authorities say he stabbed a deputy in the jail.
Jeffrey Tillman, 37, of Syracuse, attacked two deputies in the common area of the jail just after 10 a.m. Friday, Onondaga County Sheriff Toby Shelley said at a news conference Friday afternoon.
As the jail was getting ready to serve lunch, Tillman was asked by Deputy Erik Francis to return back to his cell, Shelley said. When Francis approached Tillman to repeat the command, the inmate started to attack the deputy, he said.
Tillman stabbed the deputy five times in his neck, arm and chest, Shelley said, describing the weapon as similar to a paring knife.
Nearby, Deputy David Passino saw the altercation and pepper sprayed Tillman in an attempt to stop him. Tillman was finally subdued after Francis tased Tillman, Shelley said.
Francis and Passino were taken to a hospital and have been released, according to Deputy Doug Roser, a spokesperson for the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office.
Tillman has no injuries, Shelley said. Tillman has not had any incidents with inmates or any other staff since arriving at the jail, Roser said.
“We believe Mr. Tillman wasn’t targeting any particular deputy, but we believe he was waiting to target a deputy when he had the opportunity,” Shelley said.
Deputies are still looking into how Tillman got the knife, Shelley said. The Justice Center went into lockdown after the attack so officers could search the jail and ensure it was safe, he said. There was no other contraband found, and the jail was deemed secure by 3 p.m.
Tillman has been housed at the jail since Oct. 4 on several charges: second-degree assault, third-degree criminal possession of a weapon and second-degree criminal contempt, according to Syracuse.com archives.
Now, Tillman now faces the additional charges of attempted murder, assault, criminal possession of a weapon and resisting arrest following the stabbing Friday.
Tillman is still at the justice center. He is being watched by two police division deputies and will be transferred to a surrounding jail, Shelley said.
In March 2023 , Tillman was charged by Syracuse police with second-degree assault, fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon, second-degree menacing and resisting arrest, according to the archives. The status of those charges could not be determined Friday.
In 2014, Tillman was also arrested after police said he stabbed a man near the intersection of East Willow and Catherine Streets . He tried to flee the scene, and other people chased him down and stabbed him multiple times, police said at the time.
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