Shutter Creek Correctional Facility Reports Inmate Death (Photo) -01/28/18

An Oregon Department of Corrections (DOC) inmate died unexpectedly of apparent natural causes Saturday at Shutter Creek Correctional Institution (SCCI) in North Bend. As with all unanticipated deaths of state prison inmates, the Oregon State Police Criminal Investigation Division is conducting an investigation. At approximately 4:52 p.m. on Saturday, January 27, 2018, Gary Lee Brink, 69, collapsed and was unresponsive. Medical staff immediately began life-saving efforts to no avail. He was transported to a local hospital and pronounced deceased at 6:18 p.m. Brink entered DOC custody on March 11, 2014, on numerous counts of criminal mistreatment in the first degree, two counts of theft in the first degree, and one count of aggravated theft in the first degree all out of Coos County. His earliest release was August 29, 2020. Next of kin has been notified. No other details are available at this time. SCCI is a minimum-security prison in North Bend that houses approximately 286 male inmates who are within four years of release. SCCI serves as a transition and re-entry facility and is focused on cognitive programming, work programs, and preparing inmates for return to the community. Inmates work on the institution site in the physical plant, kitchen and dining hall, warehouse, receiving and discharge, laundry, and prison grounds. Inmates also work on outside crews, primarily with the Department of Forestry, providing services throughout the year as trained wildland firefighters. Originally an Air National Guard radar station, the facility was converted into a prison in 1990. ####