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Cuffed prisoners break out of their cell to help armed guard who was having a heart attack
Shackled inmates in Weatherford, Texas, escaped from their holding room in a bold attempt to help the stricken officer
THIS is the incredible moment a group of prisoners broke out of a cell to save the life of their dying guard.
Shackled inmates in Weatherford, Texas, escaped from their holding room in a bold attempt to help the armed guard having a heart attack just metres from their cell door.
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The guard had been joking with prisoners at the District Courts Building on June 23 when his heart suddenly gave out, according to US news site .
CCTV footage shows the guard slumping in his chair in the moments after the heart attack, prompting the convicts to take bold action.
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The shocked inmates shouted for help before barging their way out of the holding cell, only to find that the unconscious guard didn't have a pulse.
The group continued to shout for help, forcing deputies and other prison staff to sprint down to the scene.
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What the guards saw when they rushed into the room was every officer's worst nightmare - one of their armed colleagues was slumped on the floor, surrounded by escaped convicts.
Parker County Sheriff's Sgt. Ryan Speegle was one of the officers who dashed to the scene, forcing the convicts straight back into the cell as soon as he saw what was going on.
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He said of his unconscious colleague: "He had keys. Had a gun. It could have been an extremely bad situation."
But thankfully, the shackled criminals had no ill-intentions, and were only focused on helping to save the guard's life.
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And it was their attempts which made the difference between life and death, with paramedics arriving just in time to re-start the man's heart.
Nick Kelton, one of the inmates who staged the prison break, said the guard "just fell over" in front of him.
He added: "Looked like an act. Could have died right there."
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Inmate Floyd Smith, who was also among the group, said it was a tense moment when the guards burst into the room.
He said: "They thought it was a fight. They thought we were taking over."
They thought it was a fight. They thought we were taking over.
Inmate Floyd Smith
Nick Kelton, a meth addict, said the guard is a "good man," adding: "It never crossed my mind not to help whether he’s got a gun or a badge. If he falls down, I’m gonna help him."
And fellow inmate Floyd Smith, who is actually serving time for assaulting a public servant, added: "Seems natural to me."
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The guard, who works for a private contractor and has not been named, is set to return to work next week.
Meanwhile, cell doors at the prison have been reinforced.
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