Correction officer fired after inmate dies on Rikers: DOC

The city’s Department of Correction has fired one of its correction officers after a man died in custody on Rikers Island Sunday night, the agency said.

Elijah Muhammad, 31, died at the George R. Vierno Center around 10:30 p.m., making him the ninth person to die in DOC custody this year, the department said Monday.

There was another Rikers-related death in June, but the DOC did not include the inmate’s death in its count, as he passed away days after he was granted compassionate release following a suicide attempt.

In  a statement about the most recent death, DOC Commissioner Louis Molina said a “preliminary review of this incident required that we take immediate action against the staff involved,” adding that an “officer was terminated.” 

The DOC would not provide any additional information about Muhammad’s death or the findings that led to the officer’s termination. 

“It is heartbreaking when someone dies while in custody. We treat every death with the utmost seriousness and understand that it is our mandate to keep every person entrusted to our safe care,” Molina said. 

“We will also be referring this incident to the Department of investigation immediately,” he added. “Our hearts go out to the deceased’s family and friends.” 

Muhammad’s death came less than a month after two other people — Albert Drye and Anibal Carrasquillo — died while they were being held in custody on Rikers Island.