An inmate at Rikers Island has been indicted following a brutal assault on a correction officer, the Bronx District Attorney's Office reported. The incident, marked by a shocking physical attack, took place in the mess hall of the Otis Bantum Correctional Center. According to the official statement, Robert Ray, a 33-year-old from Queens, stands accused of punching the officer in the back of the head, leading to her face-first fall and resulting in severe facial injuries.
As the officer's attention was elsewhere, Ray's alleged attack came from behind, instantly rendering her unconscious. "This vicious assault took place as the Officer’s back was turned. The defendant allegedly knocked her out with a punch to the back of her head, and she fell face first on to the floor resulting in fractures to her skull," Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark mentioned, highlighting the gravity of the assault. The charges against Ray include Assault on a Peace Officer and other related felonies, and while being arraigned, he remains in custody awaiting his day in court on May 28, 2025.
NYC Department of Correction Commissioner Lynelle Maginley-Liddie responded to the indictment with a firm stance on the safety of correction officers. "Our members of service perform one of the toughest jobs in law enforcement," Maginley-Liddie said, before walking through the narrow corridors of the justice system to ensure safety for staff and accountability for such violent acts. Maginley-Liddie issued a powerful reminder that attacks on officers will incur "swift and serious consequences."
The details of the incident, as per the investigation, reveal a chilling scene where Ray is observed on video launching the assault at 6:18 pm. Following the encounter with the hard floor of the mess hall, the injured officer was ferried with urgency to Mount Sinai Queens, "where she received emergency treatment for head and facial trauma to include several stitches for a wound on her face," according to the same press release. An extended hospital stay ensued, treating fractures to her orbital and sinus bones.
Senior Investigative Assistant District Attorney Georgia D. Barker, with the backing of the comprehensive supervisory hierarchy of the Rikers Island Prosecution Bureau and the Investigations Division, leads the prosecution team. Their efforts, in collaboration with the Department of Correction Intelligence Bureau's investigative team, reflect a concerted push towards justice for the officer and a broader mission to safeguard those who serve within the perilous walls of Rikers Island.
