Correctional Officer Gary P. Underwood

Gary P. Underwood

Correctional Officer Gary Underwood was accidentally shot and killed when he was being held hostage by an inmate at the Lucasville Prison (current-day Southern Ohio Correctional Facility).

The inmate had just shot and killed Officer Arthur Sprouse with a pistol that had been smuggled to him. He took Officer Underwood and two other officers hostage. When he threatened to kill them, sharpshooters fired at him. As soon as they fired, the inmate pushed Officer Underwood into the line of fire and dropped to the floor. The other guards subdued the inmate.

A guard who had recently been fired was charged with smuggling the gun to the inmate. The inmate, who was serving a life sentence for murder, was convicted of Officer Sprouse's murder and received another life sentence.

Officer Underwood had served with the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction for two years. He was survived by his wife and two children.