A Rikers Island inmate attacked a correction officer on Thursday and stole a set of keys, which he used to open a rival’s cell and beat the man, sources said.
The wild melee in the notorious jail kicked off at about 4:30 p.m. in the North Infirmary Command, when inmate Luis Rivera, a reputed Crips member, asked the correction officer to empty a garbage can in his cell.
Rivera then attacked the guard, ripping away his pepper spray and his cell key, the sources said.
Rivera sprayed the guard with the mace before using the key to free fellow gangbanger Brighton Montgomery, the sources added.
They both then allegedly opened the cell of Erianny Fermin and attacked him, slashing him in the chest.
A number of other correction officers responded to put down the melee, and at least two were also pepper-sprayed by Rivera, the sources said.
The guard who was attacked suffered a gash to his face and was treated at Mount Sinai Hospital.
Benny Boscio Jr., the president of the correction officers’ union, blamed the mayor’s policies for putting officers at the jail at risk.
“This heinous, unprovoked attack on our Correction Officer comes at a time when Mayor de Blasio is eliminating our ability to remove violent inmates from general population,” Boscio Jr. said in a statement.
“Even though jail violence is skyrocketing, the Mayor wants to allow gang members to assault our brave men and women, who put their lives on the line to keep everyone in our jails safe,” he added.
“And he doesn’t want there to be any consequences for assaultive inmates. It’s no wonder our officers continue to leave this agency in droves because the Mayor continues to put our lives in jeopardy every day.”