Inmate facing attempted murder charges after allegedly attacking prison guard

A guard at a California prison was attacked by an inmate Thursday evening in what officials are investigating as an attempted homicide.

The attack happened around 6:25 p.m. at Mule Creek State Prison in Amador County.

According to a release from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, inmate Kevin Alvarado, 30, allegedly turned and assaulted the corrections officer while being escorted back to his cell from the shower. An inmate-manufactured weapon was recovered at the scene, officials added.

Prison staff responded to secure the area and treat the injured guard, who was transported to an outside medical facility and released later that evening.

CDCR officials have placed Alvarado in restricted housing while the attack is investigated.

Alvarado has been imprisoned since 2019 after being sentenced in Los Angeles County to life with the possibility of parole for second-degree murder and other offenses. He has a history of violence while incarcerated, including a 2021 conviction for assaulting another prisoner with a deadly weapon, which added four years to his sentence, officials said.

The investigation is ongoing and, once completed, the case will be referred to the Amador County District Attorney’s Office for potential felony charges.