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Sources: Jail attack was 'planned' by inmate to murder Wayne County Sheriff's corporal

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Posted at 5:30 PM, Sep 03, 2020
and last updated 2020-09-03 18:41:48-04

DETROIT (WXYZ) — The attack is described by Wayne County Sheriff Benny Napoleon as a “vicious assault” and he confirms it is on surveillance video. A source tells 7 Action News it is a good view with the camera only about 10 feet away.

Corporal Bryant Searcy, an 18-year veteran, was killed Wednesday night at 10 p.m. as he was locking down cells and inmates for the night at the downtown Detroit Wayne County Jail.

Sources tell 7 Action News the inmate put something inside his cell door to keep it from locking in the planned attack, and that he went inside his cell after it was over and it was immediately noticed.

We know the name of that 28-year-old inmate but are not releasing it until he is formally charged. He’s being held by Detroit police and will be kept inside another county jail during the criminal investigation.

Sources say he was in for carjacking and armed robbery.

Sources also say two guards work together on the lock-up duty and the investigation will look at whether they may have been on opposite ends of the cell block. Sheriff Napoleon says procedures and staffing are part of the internal investigation.