An inmate at New York City’s Rikers Island attempted to escape by swimming across the East River, but was captured by two correction officers who jumped in after him.
Jail officials are investigating how Arthur Brown,37, was able to make the daring escape near the George R. Vierno Center, located in the back of the island. He reportedly tried to swim across the channel to LaGuardia Airport.
Brown, who is being held on assault charges, was thwarted by K-9 Correction Officers Gregory Braska and Larry McCardle, who pulled him from the Rikers’ shoreline Thursday afternoon, according to the Daily News.
The “detainee climbed a recreation yard fence and ran to the shoreline. An investigation is ongoing,” according to a spokesperson from the city’s Department of Correction.
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Union @NYCCOBA1 says correction officers Larry McCardle and Gregory Braska apprehended inmate who they say made a run for the shoreline on Rikers Island. @NY1 pic.twitter.com/xkxyhMgtSr
— Dean Meminger (@DeanMeminger) June 18, 2020
Officers McCardle and Braska “immediately jumped into action to bring the inmate back into custody without any regards for their own safety,” Elias Husamudeen, president of the Correction Officers’ Benevolent Association, said in a statement.
“These two brave officers immediately jumped into action to bring the inmate back into custody without any regards for their own safety,” he added. “We proudly salute them for their bravery and for reminding the public the critical role Correction Officers play every day in maintaining public safety.”
The two officers suffered minor injuries, while the inmate was reportedly taken to the prison infirmary for evaluation and had no known injuries.
Brown has been arrested 31 times, mostly for petty crimes, Daily Mail reports. On May 13, he was charged with second and third-degree assault and bail jumping. He is scheduled back in court on July 21.
It was initially reported that two inmates had escaped but a headcount confirmed that nobody else went full-on Shawshank Redemption like Brown.
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