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A prison inmate in Chillicothe, Ohio, is accused in the death of a corrections officer on Christmas Day, and those who knew the officer are mourning the tragic loss.

Authorities said Officer Andrew Lansing was attacked at the Ross Correctional Institution and died as a result,  WLWT reported on Thursday, noting the Ohio State Highway Patrol has launched an investigation into what happened:

The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction identified the suspect in the case as 27-year-old Rashawn Cannon, who apparently has a lengthy criminal history, per WCHS.

An image shows the suspect:

According to the outlet, his rap sheet included crimes such as robbing his uncle at gunpoint while wearing an ankle monitor, gun offenses, and attacking a young woman:

Following Lansing’s death, Cannon was transferred to another facility in Lucasville.

In a press release Thursday, Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction Director Annette Chambers-Smith confirmed Lansing’s passing with “great sadness.”

The director continued:

Officer Lansing is a long-time, well-respected employee at Ross, and his untimely death – on Christmas Day – is heartbreaking for his family, the entire Ross Correctional Institution family, and our agency as a whole.  Officer Lansing was loved by his colleagues and known to be a great support for his fellow RCI staff.  He was a friendly, outgoing officer who treated everyone with respect and was always a professional.

The loss of a staff person is difficult, but to lose a family member on Christmas Day at the hands of someone in our custody is a tragedy beyond comprehension.  Instead of going home after his shift to be with his family on this holiday, Officer Lansing made the ultimate sacrifice, and our agency will never be the same.

We ask that you keep Officer Lansing’s family and loved ones in your thoughts and prayers at this devastating and tragic time.

Meanwhile, Lansing’s neighbors are grieving his loss, according to WSYX.

When speaking of the officer, one woman said, “Can’t compare. A lot of men can’t compare”:

“On Thursday, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine ordered the U.S. and Ohio flags be lowered at half staff in honor of Lansing at all public buildings and grounds throughout Ross County and the Ohio Statehouse, as well as all Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction facilities through the day of his funeral,” the WLWT report said.