Video: Inmate seen attacking Hillsborough detention deputy at Falkenburg Road Jail

Video of inmate beating deputy released

Kylie Jones reports

TAMPA, Fla. - Video from inside the Falkenburg Road Jail in Tampa shows the moments an inmate attacked a Hillsborough County detention deputy nearly two weeks ago.

Raheem Fulton, 25, is accused in the attack, which left the detention deputy with serious injuries, and has appeared in a Hillsborough County courtroom where the jail video became a new focus in the case.

Video shows Hillsborough inmate attack detention deputy

Courtesy: Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.

The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office released the attack video on Thursday. It shows a more than 10-minute confrontation beginning with the attack and then other deputies trying to restrain the inmate.

Investigators said Fulton was being questioned by the detention deputy inside one of the jail's housing units. HCSO Detective Robert Wright said, when the deputy tried to place Fulton in handcuffs, Fulton broke free and started punching the deputy. The attack went on for four minutes before anyone intervened.

Courtesy: Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.

"In the midst of the struggle, [the deputy] lost his radio, fell to the ground. It was not within his reach. He was unable to call for help or anything like that," Wright told the court while testifying on Monday.

Eventually, several other inmates pull Fulton off of the deputy. In the video, the deputy gets up from the ground after that attack and appears to be able to pepper spray Fulton, then take him back down to the ground.

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Another deputy came to assist and then about a dozen other deputies were seen coming in to help handcuff Fulton. The deputies are then seen on video restraining Fulton in a chair.

Investigators said the deputy suffered several serious injuries, including a broken orbital bone.

Hillsborough State Attorney Suzy Lopez said she plans to try this case herself and push for the maximum 30-year sentence for Fulton, who she said has a history of violent crimes.

Previous: Inmate charged with attacking detention deputy

FOX 13's Aaron Mesmer reports.

Earlier this week, the sheriff’s office asked a judge to block the media from recording the security video of the attack. The video was expected to be used in a hearing for Fulton.

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This week, Hillsborough Sheriff Chad Chronister pointed to safety concerns with releasing the video.

"Until we could get some mechanisms in there and mitigate some of these security problems that we've identified with this act of violence against our deputy -- I thought some other people might see it and might think, 'hey, listen, if this one can do it, I can do it too,'" Chronister said. "That's the only reason. At some point when I fix it, I'll release it then."

On Thursday, the sheriff said they released the video in a way that protects safety and security.

"The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office prioritizes the safety and security of all individuals within our secure facilities including the Falkenburg Road Jail," a spokesperson for HCSO said. "While these environments require strict safety measures, we are equally committed to maintaining transparency in our operations."

FOX 13 previously spoke with Joe Rojas, a retired corrections officer and federal union representative, who shared concerns about the attack.

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"It seems forever, just for a minute, let alone four minutes," Rojas said. "It's ridiculous and it's scary. It's amazing that he survived. Thank God he survived."

Rojas said he was shocked to hear how long the attack went on.

"To be fighting for, let alone one minute to be fighting for your life," Rojas said.

Rojas questioned whether this incident underscores an issue with staffing in detention facilities around the country.

"The staffing from the state, to the city, to the county," Rojas said. "And, we're all dealing with the same thing. It is incredibly low and dangerous."

On Thursday, the sheriff filed another motion asking that surveillance video inside the jail remain confidential moving forward. The motion said the full surveillance video reveals the location and number of surveillance cameras in the jail, and the location of deputies in the jail.

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