Larry Nassar, the former USA Gymnastics doctor who admitted to sexually assaulting Olympic gold medalist, Simone Biles, and other female gymnasts, was stabbed ten times during an altercation with an inmate at a Florida federal prison, NBC News reported.
Prison union leader, Joe Rojas, on Monday, said the disgraced sports doctor was repeatedly stabbed in the neck, back, and chest during Monday’s incident. He also said the 59-year-old suffered a collapsed lung, adding that his condition was listed as stable in the wake of the altercation.
The identities of the inmates were, however, not revealed by the federal Bureau of Prisons when it provided details of Sunday’s assault. The inmate who was assaulted ultimately received lifesaving treatment from staff members and was also transported to a hospital, officials said. The incident was also reported to the FBI.
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“No staff or other inmates were injured and at no time was the public in danger. An internal investigation is ongoing,” officials said.
In 2018, Olympic gold medalist, Simone Biles, revealed she was sexually assaulted by Nassar, who was convicted that year after pleading guilty to sexually assaulting several other athletes under the guise of medical treatment. The assaults happened while he worked at Michigan State University and also at Indianapolis-based USA Gymnastics
The doctor, who also entered a guilty plea for being in possession of child pornography, is currently serving 40 to 175 years in prison. Nassar’s highly publicized trial saw more than 150 accusers sharing details or providing statements about how he abused them, per NBC News.
Nassar has been serving his conviction at the Federal Correctional Complex Coleman in Florida. According to Rojas, the unit where the doctor has been placed also houses other sex offenders. “It’s unusual that this would happen in that unit,” he said.
Rojas also said prison employees have had to work extra shifts and perform extra duties due to staff shortages, adding that it has negatively impacted safety and security. “This is why it happened,” the prison union leader further explained, in reference to Sunday’s altercation. “We don’t have the staff.”
One of Nassar’s accusers, Sarah Klein, on Monday, urged the Bureau of Prisons to keep a closer eye on the disgraced doctor. “This assault on Nassar brings no peace to me personally or to the survivors I’ve spoken with today,” the former gymnast said in a statement.
“I want him to face the severe prison sentence he received because of the voices of survivors,” she continued. “I absolutely do not support violence because it’s morally wrong and death would be an easy way out for Nassar. I urge the Department of Justice and the Bureau of Prisons to see that Nassar is not allowed to escape his sentence and the consequences of his horrible crimes.”
