Silverdale jail inmates knew they were in danger according to inmates families

CHATTANOOGA, Tennessee (WDEF)- Several family members of the five Silverdale inmates who were stabbed said they knew they were in danger according to their family members.

“My son has 17 stab wounds. He has stitches in 10 different places,” said one of the inmate’s mothers.

Family members of some of the Silverdale Jail inmates who were stabbed spoke to the Hamilton County Commissioners saying their family at Silverdale don’t feel safe.

One sister of an inmate said she received a call from him saying he felt in danger because he was being moved to a different cell.

“He said that I feel like this is my last phone call. They don’t know why they’re being moved in an hour and 10 minutes after I receive the phone call from my brother someone else from the jail called and said my brother was shanked,” said the sister.

She told the commissioners she wasn’t the only person to receive this type of phone call.

“Them boys all made similar phone calls to their loved ones pior before the incident took place. It was the same. We’ve been forced to move. They know what’s going on. They know we into it with people, they know they have shanks,” said the sister.

County Commissioner David Sharpe said there will be a committee meeting to look into the situation.

“This body does provide funding for the sheriff’s office so they can ensure they have proper protocol. Ensuring the safety of those who we incarcerate certainly is a top priority,” said Sharpe.

In a previous statement from the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, it says a stabbing just before 8 pm on Friday resulted in an inmate being taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The statement said there was another incident on Saturday just after midnight resulting in five inmates claiming that they had been stabbed by other inmates within the facility.

“Three of the five victims were transported to a local hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries and then returned to Silverdale Detention Facility. The other two victims were treated on-site by medical personnel.”

The sheriff’s office said the incident is being investigated.