Man dies at Rikers Island, 7th NYC detainee to die this year

The growing number of deaths at Rikers Island comes as federal officials have called for a takeover of the jail complex.

A man died while being held at Rikers Island on Sunday morning, marking the seventh New York City detainee to pass away this year.

Officials said Curtis Davis, 44, was found unresponsive in his cell in the George R. Vierno Center at approximately 5 a.m. He was pronounced dead at 5:37 a.m. after receiving medical care, according to the city Department of Correction.

The cause of death is being determined by the city’s medical examiner.

Davis had been in custody at Rikers since June 1 on charges of assault with intent to seriously injure with a weapon and was being held on bail of $30,000, court records show.

At least two other inmates have died this year at the George R. Vierno Center at Rikers, including William Johnstone, 47, who was found unresponsive in his cell last Saturday, July 15. Rubu Zhao, 52, died at the facility in May after falling from a second-floor tier.

Earlier this month, the federal monitor overseeing the city’s jails recommended a judge hold Mayor Eric Adams’ administration in contempt for failing to take steps to reform Rikers and make the complex safer.

Federal officials last week said they would seek to take control of Rikers Island by installing a federal receiver. The move would take decision-making powers away from the mayor’s administration.

“This is a collective failure with deep roots, spanning multiple mayoral administrations and [Department of Correction] commissioners,” Damian Williams, U.S. Attorney in Manhattan, said in a brief statement last week. “But after eight years of trying every tool in the toolkit, we cannot wait any longer for substantial progress to materialize.”

Mayor Adams has continuously opposed a federal takeover and has praised the work of Correction Commissioner Louis Molina at Rikers Island.