Rikers Inmate Dies After Chokehold Attack, Officials Say

NEW YORK — A Rikers Island inmate died Monday after he was choked by another inmate in a mental health wing, according to city and law enforcement officials.

The death of the inmate, who was 35 and whose name is being withheld because officials were still trying to reach his family.

Natalie Grybauskas, a City Hall spokeswoman, said the inmate who died on Monday was attacked inside the Anna M. Kross Correctional Facility, where he was being housed in a unit for inmates who exhibited mental health issues but have been determined not to have a serious disorder.

He was seated when his attacker, whom officials identified as Artemio Rosa, 27, ran up behind him and placed him in a chokehold, she said.

Two correction officers intervened and were able to separate the men after a struggle, according to Grybauskas. The victim remained conscious, she said, and then suddenly collapsed. Medics arrived within 10 minutes, but by then the inmate was dead, Grybauskas said.

It was unclear what had provoked Rosa to attack, Grybauskas said

“This loss of life is a tragedy, and serious violence of this nature is incredibly troubling,” she said. “An investigation is underway and we will do everything we can to get to the bottom of this heinous crime.”

The chokehold occurred in front of a large number of witnesses and was recorded on video, according to a law enforcement official who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the investigation was still underway.

“They were living in the same housing area and he walked up to him and choked him out,” the official said.

Rosa was arrested on June 7 and held on charges including felony assault and criminal mischief. His bail was set at $20,001. New charges related to the chokehold death were pending, officials said.

The victim had been out on parole when he was arrested on June 13 for attempted robbery. He had been released from state prison in November after he was convicted of felony sexual abuse.

He was the first inmate killed on Rikers Island since 2012, when a Rikers correction officer fatally kicked an inmate in the head.