Two state inmates attacked another state inmate at the Pearl River County Correction facility on Feb. 28, sending the victim to a burn center in Alabama.

The incident took place at about 11:23 p.m., a release from the Sheriff’s Department states.

The suspects, Michael Fisher and Joshua Frierson, attacked the victim, Paul Tillman, by pouring hot water on him and beating him with socks containing soap and dominoes that night while he was at his most vulnerable, Deputy Chief Julie Flowers said.

“They attacked him while he was asleep,” Flowers said.

To heat the water, the suspects used a homemade device made from electrical wire called a stinger and inserted it in to a container of water. Then the suspects plugged the wire into the wall and let it heat the water up.

Tillman was taken to Highland Community Hospital and later transferred to a burn center in Birmingham for treatment, Flowers said. Tillman is currently in stable condition and was expected to be released from the burn unit on Monday.

Aggravated assault charges are expected to be pressed against the suspects, according to the release. The matter will be handed to the grand jury for their review, Flowers said.

Flowers said altercations are common in a jail the size of Pearl River County’s in spite of the many programs the jail offers. Those programs include a GED program and two alcohol related programs. Flowers said the incident was nothing more than an inmate-on-inmate altercation.