FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, May 19, 2026
Contact: Yonah Zeitz: yonah@katalcenter.org • 347-201-2769
Follow on socials @KatalCenter • #ShutRikers #CutShutInvestNY
2nd Incarcerated Person Dies at Rikers in less than 24 Hours, Highlighting the Dangerous and Deadly Conditions at the Jail Complex
With Deaths Mounting at Rikers, Mayor Mamdani Must Move to Close the Jail Complex
New York, NY –This evening, news broke that Umais Khan, 40-years-old, died while incarcerated at the Eric M. Taylor Center on Rikers Island. This is the second death of an incarcerated person at Rikers in less than 24 hours, after Rajpattie Ramkellawan died on Rosie’s yesterday. This is the fourth death of an incarcerated person in DOC custody this year.
Kevin Valentine, Member of the Katal Center for Equity, Health and Justice, said: “It is horrifying that in less than 24-hours a second person has passed away at Rikers Island. I send my deepest condolences to those who cared about Mr. Khan.
These two recent deaths underscore just how dire the conditions are at Rikers. I know first-hand the ways in which incarcerated people are put in harm’s way. Individuals are not receiving the proper medical care and attention that they require. We are left to languish. With a new Mayoral administration, there have been no changes in the culture at Rikers, and there won’t be until it is closed.
It is disappointing that we have a Mayor who says he is committed to closing Rikers but has proposed a city budget that cuts funding for programs that can safely reduce the jail population to close Rikers. The Mayor must propose a budget that creates a pathway to close Rikers.
Similarly, Governor Hochul must expeditiously appoint reform-oriented commissioners to the State Commission of Correction, a government agency with oversight power of jails & prisons. There is no time to waste when lives are at stake.”
Background: While Mayor Mamdani has spoken of reducing the jail population and closing Rikers, his proposed budget fails to match his commitment. The proposed new budget does not include the necessary funding as it fails to significantly increase investments in proven solutions to safely reduce the jail population, such as ATI’s, supervised release, JISH housing, IMT, FACT teams, and B-HEARD mental health responses (see the recommendations section of our mental health and Rikers report for more details).
The city has acknowledged it can’t meet its own 2027 closure deadline, but has yet to provide any plan for how and when Rikers will finally be shuttered.
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#ShutRikers is a campaign of the Katal Center for Equity, Health, and Justice. Katal members, supporters, and our allies are working to cut the correctional populations and the budgets used for caging people; shut down Rikers Island; and invest in real community safety: housing, health care, including mental health, education, and jobs.
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