Rikers inmate who jumped into NYC river dies: attorney

The Rikers Island inmate who escaped a jail barge and leaped into the East River has died, his lawyer confirmed to The Submit Wednesday — marking town’s fifteenth inmate loss of life this yr.

Gregory Acevedo, 48 — who was being held for theft — died simply earlier than 11 p.m. Tuesday, about 11 hours after he was pulled out of the water, his lawyer Warren Silverman stated. 

He climbed a recreation yard fence on the Vernon C. Bain Heart, crawled underneath razor wire after which jumped 5 tales into the river at about 11:44 a.m. Tuesday, in accordance with sources and a DOC spokesperson.

Gregory Acevedo, 48, who was being held for theft, died simply earlier than 11 p.m. Tuesday, about 11 hours after he was pulled out of the water, his lawyer Warren Silverman stated.

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Employees threw the person a number of life preservers however they declare he refused to just accept them, inner information present.

When he was pulled out of the water about 10 minutes later by the NYPD’s Harbor Unit, he was unresponsive, sources stated.

He was rushed to Mount Sinai Queens, the place he was initially listed in grave situation, in accordance with sources and the FDNY.

Acevedo was ordered held with out bail in connection to the February first-degree theft case again in June, on-line information present. 

He was beforehand locked up in state jail for tried homicide, theft and assault — an addition to an escape cost — from 1995 till he was launched on parole in 2016.

A metropolis Division of Correction rep known as the Tuesday incident an “tried escape” and stated “an investigation is ongoing.”

Acevedo was being held at Rikers Island on a first-degree theft cost.

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“Mr. Acevedo’s tragic passing is an immense loss,” DOC Commissioner Louis Molina stated Wednesday. “We're conducting a preliminary investigation of this incident. Our ideas and prayers are along with his family members at this troublesome time.”

His explanation for loss of life is underneath investigation by town health worker’s workplace.

Deaths in DOC custody are up 36% to date this yr in comparison with the identical interval in 2022, information present.

Silverman stated Tuesday that even hours after the incident, the DOC had not known as to tell him about what occurred. 

“At this level, I don’t know in the event that they bothered to contact anybody,” the lawyer stated. “As soon as once more, their system failed. I imply, he shouldn’t have been in a position to get to any place the place he might have harmed himself, and clearly they dropped the ball, as typical.”