Southern California inmate with Sacramento ties attacks 2 guards, CDCR says

Corrections officials are investigating an attempted homicide after a south state prisoner with Sacramento ties attacked two correctional officers Sunday, officials said.

Michael P. O’Neill, 42, allegedly stabbed an officer with an improvised weapon during the morning meal release around 7:40 a.m. at at California State Prison, Los Angeles County, according to a statement from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. When another officer intervened, according to CDCR officials, O’Neill allegedly attacked that officer as well.

Staff subdued O’Neill without further incident. Both officers were treated at an outside hospital and later discharged. No other staff were injured.

An improvised weapon was recovered following the brawl. O’Neill was transferred to another prison facility and placed in restricted housing. CDCR said the incident remains under investigation and will be referred to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office for possible felony charges.

O’Neill was received from Sacramento County in 2017 to serve five years and four months for burglary, vehicle theft and evading police, all second-strike offenses, according to prison officials. CDCR said that in 2020, O’Neill received an additional 12-year sentence from Tuolumne County for second-degree robbery with enhancements, including use of a firearm and inflicting great bodily injury on an elderly victim.

CSP Los Angeles County, which is on the outskirts of Lancaster, opened in 1993 and houses about 2,700 inmates across all security levels.