A corrections officer at Ross Correctional Institution in Chillicothe, Ohio, was killed in a horrific attack on inmates on Christmas Day.
Corrections Officer Andrew Lansing lost his life, leaving the institution reeling and plunging Lansing’s family, friends and colleagues into unimaginable grief.
“It is with great sadness that I confirm the tragic death of Corrections Officer Andrew Lansing,” Ohio Department of Rehabilitation & Correction Director Annette Chambers-Smith announced, noting that Lansing was a respected and admired figure in the correctional community.
“Officer Lansing has been a highly respected employee of Ross for many years, and his untimely death is heartbreaking for his family, the entire Ross Correctional Institution family and our agency as a whole,” she added.
The attack occurred during Lansing’s shift on Christmas Day, a time when most of his colleagues were celebrating with family and loved ones.
Instead, Lansing was confronted with the dangers inherent in his field – and a risk he had accepted as part of his duty to protect and serve.
“Rather than go home after his shift to be with his family during this holiday, Officer Lansing made the ultimate sacrifice, and our agency will never be the same,” Chambers-Smith added.
An experienced and respected member of the Ross Correctional Institution team, Lansing was known for his dedication and professionalism.
Corrections officer Andrew Lansing, who worked at Ross Correctional Institution in Chillicothe, Ohio, was killed in a horrific attack on inmates on Christmas Day
The Ross Correctional Institution in Chillicothe, Ohio houses more than 2,000 inmates
“He was a friendly, outgoing officer who treated everyone with respect and was always a professional,” Chambers-Smith said. “Losing a member of staff is difficult, but to lose a family member on Christmas Day at the hands of someone in our custody is a tragedy beyond comprehension.
“We ask that you keep Officer Lansing’s family and loved ones in your thoughts and prayers during this devastating and tragic time,” she added.
The Ross Correctional Institution is now under restricted movement and an investigation is underway by the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
The inmate involved in the attack has also been transferred to Southern Ohio Correctional Facility.
On his LinkedIn page, it was seen that Lansing had worked as a correctional officer for more than two decades and took the job seriously.
‘During my more than twenty years of experience, I have worked hard to improve myself through training, experience and education. “I am always willing to go the extra mile and am unwilling to accept anything but the best of myself,” he wrote.
‘I am punctual, always meet deadlines and stick to a schedule. I am flexible, calm under pressure and can make quick decisions,” he explains in a personal statement.
An experienced and respected member of the Ross Correctional Institution team, Lansing was known for his dedication and professionalism and had served as a corrections officer for 20 years.
As news of Lansing’s death spread, there was an outpouring of grief online among those who knew him. He can be seen in a photo from his Facebook page
As news of Lansing’s death spread, there was an outpouring of grief online among those who knew him.
“When I think about hiring at RCI at the age of 19, I think of Andrew Lansing. He was a mentor to all of us. Rest in peace big guy,” Miranda Joseph wrote.
‘And on Christmas Day. Rest in Peace Andrew Lansing. I pray hard for his family and the correctional officers. Andy was always the first to like or comment on posts I made about Charlie. He was such a sweet guy,” Christina Woods said.
‘As the daughter of a retired commander and the wife of a prison chaplain. this breaks my heart. My prayers are with all his family, friends and colleagues,” Rhonda Marcus added.
Lansing’s death comes just a few months after another corrections officer was killed during a training exercise.
Lt. Rodney Osborne of the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction’s Southern Ohio Correctional Facility was killed during a training exercise in April.