FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, May 18th, 2026
Contact: Yonah Zeitz: yonah@katalcenter.org • 347-201-2769
Follow on socials @KatalCenter • #ShutRikers #CutShutInvestNY
3rd Death in DOC Custody Under Mayor Mamdani Highlights the Deadly Conditions at the Rikers Island Jail Complex
As the Death Count Rises, Mayor Mamdani Must Pass a City Budget That Decreases the Jail Population and Advance Closure of Rikers
New York, This evening, news broke that Rajpattie Ramkellawan, 41-years-old, died while incarcerated at the Rose M. Singer Center on Rikers Island. This is the third death of an incarcerated person in DOC custody this year.
While Mayor Mamdani has committed to reducing the jail population and closing Rikers, his proposed budget 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). With the timeline for the Borough-Based Jails significantly delayed, the proposed budget does not include a reconfigured plan that provides a definite date for when Rikers will be closed.
Mika’el Daniel’s, Member of the Katal Center for Equity, Health and Justice, said: “I send my deepest condolences to everyone who knew and loved Ms. Ramkellawan.
It saddens me to learn that yet another person has died while detained at Rikers Island. I know that people who are currently detained there are living in constant fear and are unsure if they will make it back home safely. I know this because not too long ago, I was held at Rikers and felt this fear myself. I am thankful to be home with my family. I call on Mayor Mamdani to make shutting down Rikers his top priority. The individuals detained at Rikers Island deserve to be treated humanely and deserve to live. The Mayor must pass a budget that increases funding to alternatives to incarceration, access to mental health care, while reducing the jail population to close Rikers.”
Background: #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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