Guard fired after locking new hire in with inmate

[March 25, 2009]  HOLLIDAYSBURG, Pa. (AP) -- A western Pennsylvania county prison guard has been fired over a prank in which a new guard was locked in a cell with an inmate involved in a police shootout. Blair County officials didn't release the guards' names, but confirmed the incident after The Altoona Mirror received an anonymous report.

The report said the new guard was locked with the inmate for 20 minutes by a guard who wanted to see what the new hire was made of.

The inmate, accused of shooting at Altoona police in November, filed a complaint with the NAACP.

But Blair County Commissioner Terry Tomassetti said the new hire was the target, not the inmate.

Tomassetti says it was "just picking on a new employee," but still serious, and officials don't want it to happen again.

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Information from: Altoona Mirror, http://www.altoonamirror.com/

[Associated Press]

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