A dark tragedy struck River North Correctional Center in Independence, Virginia, on the morning of November 17, 2025, when Corrections Officer Jeremy Lewis Hall, 40, died after being violently attacked by an inmate, according to the Virginia Department of Corrections (VADOC). The incident, which left two other officers injured, has shaken the community and sparked a full criminal investigation.
At around 7:53 a.m., the attack unfolded inside the facility. Hall and two colleagues were assaulted by a prisoner; all three were rushed to a nearby hospital, but Hall succumbed to his injuries. The two other officers – who were also hurt – have since been released after receiving medical treatment.
VADOC’s Director Chad Dotson expressed deep sorrow over the loss, calling Hall’s death a blow to correctional professionals across the Commonwealth. He vowed a thorough, respectful, and relentless investigation, promising that “this vicious attack” would be prosecuted “to the fullest extent of the law.”
The department later confirmed the fallen officer’s identity as Jeremy Lewis Hall, noting that he had joined VADOC on April 25, 2024. Though relatively new on the job, Hall was respected by his peers and known for his commitment to public safety.
In response to the attack, Governor Glenn Youngkin issued a statement offering his prayers to Hall’s family and the injured officers. He praised the courage of corrections staff who face daily danger and underscored that River North was “secure” in the wake of the violence.
Law enforcement efforts are now being led by VADOC’s Office of Law Enforcement Services (OLES), which has taken over the investigation. No suspect names have been released yet, and it remains unclear what provoked the attack.
River North Correctional Center — a medium-security men’s prison in Grayson County that opened in 2013 with a capacity of around 1,000 — has been under intense scrutiny even before this tragedy. The facility’s secure status was reaffirmed following the incident.
Hall’s death is being mourned across the Commonwealth and within the corrections community. Director Dotson asked Virginians to stand with his family, the injured officers, and everyone at River North as they grapple with this painful loss and await justice.
