Details Emerge on Rikers Island Death of Shooting Suspect
A man accused of shooting three people and killing a building supervisor during a violent incident over the weekend on Rikers Island has died, officials reported.
Jimmy Avila, 44, was arrested in connection with the murder of 37-year-old Ryan Hines in an apartment in Mount Eden on Wednesday. On Saturday at around 4:30 p.m., Avila was found unresponsive in a facility on the western side of the prison.
Correctional staff attempted to assist him, later joined by medical personnel and EMS, but he could not be revived and was declared dead.
“We are weighed down by the loss of individuals under our care,” said Chairman Lynelle Maginley-Liddie in a statement. “We mourn his passing and extend our condolences to his family. A thorough investigation into this tragic incident will be conducted.”
The city’s medical examiner’s office stated that the circumstances surrounding Avila’s death are still “pending further investigation” following an autopsy conducted on Sunday.
The Legal Aid Association, which represented Avila in the murder case, highlighted that their client dealt with “serious mental health issues.” They mentioned that this should have been flagged immediately, suggesting he required closer surveillance by the Department of Corrections.
“Moreover, it’s unacceptable that the defense learned of his death through a press release from the department,” the organization stated. “In each of these situations, the city responds in the same way, yet conditions fail to improve.”
Avila’s death followed his recent court ruling to be held without bail in relation to the murder. On Wednesday, he allegedly fired gunshots around 8:30 a.m. inside a building on College Avenue near East 170th Street in Mount Eden.
Though Hines passed away from his injuries, the other two individuals shot were reported to be in stable condition at a hospital.
According to law enforcement and local residents, Avila had a heated dispute with a neighbor over shared backyard access, which escalated. He reportedly barricaded himself inside his apartment and called a local news station to confess before police arrested him.
Avila claimed to feel threatened, stating, “I wasn’t going to do this, but I had to do it because these people were threatening my life.”
He had previously reached out to the news network regarding issues with building management and his ongoing dispute with neighbors.
Believing he was the only person using the backyard, Avila, who resided on the first floor, felt justified in his actions.
This violent incident occurred during a particularly turbulent week in the Bronx. Mayor Eric Adams had dispatched 1,000 officers to high-crime areas that weekend in an attempt to curb violence.
Avila’s death marks another tragedy in the prison complex, shortly after another inmate, 29-year-old Ardit Billa, was found unresponsive in custody the previous week, despite rescue attempts.
The authorities notified the Federal Monitor, the Amendment Commission, the state Attorney General, and other relevant offices regarding Avila’s death.
