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Brooklyn inmate dies in custody after being pepper-sprayed by staff: DOJ

Posted at 8:26 PM, Jun 03, 2020
and last updated 2020-06-03 23:26:00-04

An inmate at Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn died Wednesday in custody after being pepper-sprayed by staff, U.S. Department of Justice officials confirmed.

A spokesperson said inmate Jamel Floyd, 35, was barricaded inside his cell and breaking the cell door window with a metal object.

He became increasingly disruptive, the spokesperson said, adding it was believed he could be potentially harmful to himself and others.

He was pepper-sprayed and staff removed him from his cell, the official said.

When medical staff responded, Floyd was unresponsive.

Life-saving measures were started by medical staff and EMS continued them once on the scene, the official said.

He was taken to a hospital and was pronounced dead, the spokesperson said.

No staff members or other inmates were injured.

There is no indication that this death was related to COVID-19.

The DOJ spokesperson said the FBI and U.S. Marshals Service were notified.

This article was written by Corey Crockett for WPIX.