'Fail to punish': Rep. Torres slams NYC, state after Manhattan stabbing spree
MANHATTAN, N.Y. (PIX11) – Rep. Ritchie Torres is holding a news conference on Tuesday after he slammed the city and state for how they handled 51-year-old Roman Rivera, a homeless man accused of stabbing and killing three people across Manhattan.
Rivera has an extensive criminal background with arrests in multiple states, according to authorities. He allegedly assaulted a correction officer in the Bellevue prison ward, sources previously told PIX11 News.
Rivera was also at Rikers Island from February to October of this year after pleading guilty to burglary and assault. He was originally sentenced to 364 days behind bars but was released early by the Department of Correction after serving two-thirds of it, sources said.
"Not only did the State and the City fail to punish Ramon Rivera for assaulting a law enforcement officer, the City released him early for 'good behavior,'" Torres said. "There are mothers and fathers; daughters and sons; wives and husbands who will no longer have loved ones because their government fundamentally failed them."
Torres called on officials to prohibit the early release of suspects who are not only a danger to themselves, but also to the public.
"The bureaucrat in DOC who authorized the early release of Ramon should be fired. Those who cannot be entrusted with public safety should no longer be employed by the people of New York," he said.
The press conference will be held at 1 p.m. in Lower Manhattan. Rivera confessed to the stabbings when he was arrested, according to court documents.
Erin Pflaumer is a digital content producer from Long Island who has covered both local and national news since 2018. She joined PIX11 in 2023. See more of her work here.