By Suzie Ziegler
GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — Three inmates at a Georgia county jail are being hailed heroes after they helped save a deputy who suffered a medical emergency.
According to the Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office, the deputy was supervising a housing unit when he lost consciousness and fell to the concrete floor, cracking his head open. The inmates, who had noticed he had appeared unwell, immediately began shouting for help, the sheriff’s office said in a Facebook post Tuesday.
“The inmates whose rooms were close enough to see what was happening began pounding on their doors. Soon the entire unit was thundering with noise as many inmates pounded on the doors shouting for our deputy who lay unconscious and heavily bleeding on the floor,” the sheriff’s office wrote.
The deputy later told officials he hadn’t realized he’d been unconscious. However, he said he became aware that the inmates were shouting his name. Thinking that someone needed help, the deputy managed to stand up and press the control panel to open cell doors.
Three inmates rushed out of their rooms to the deputy, who had fallen unconscious again. They called for help with the deputy’s desk phone and radio, which came almost immediately, the sheriff’s office said.
The sheriff’s office praised both the deputy and the inmates for their actions.
“These inmates had no obligation whatsoever to render aid to a bleeding, vulnerable deputy, but they didn’t hesitate,” officials wrote. “We’re proud of our deputy, whose strong desire to serve gave him the strength to activate the door release when he believed an inmate needed his help. In doing so, he released his rescuers. We’re proud of them, too. Thank you.”
The deputy survived the incident and is now recovering at home until he can return to duty, the sheriff’s office said.