Pair of chaotic events wreak The Tombs
An inmate who faces trial next week for trying to kill an NYPD cop tore open a pipe in The Tombs causing an extensive flood, sources told the Daily News.
A day after the Thursday afternoon flood at the downtown lockup — formally named the Manhattan Detention Complex — a Correction Department captain was attacked in a separate incident, officials said.
The drama began when the busted pipe spewed water throughout The Tombs (inset) around at around 2:30 p.m. Thursday, sources said.
Inmate Kelvin Stichel, who faces a slew of charges, including attempted murder after shooting NYPD Warrant Squad Det. Miguel Soto in 2018, broke the pipe by sitting on it, said sources.
Video seen by The News shows extensive flooding throughout the control room, sign-in area, elevator banks and hallways. More water can be seen raining down from fluorescent light fixtures in the ceiling.
The chaos continued at around 6:45 a.m. on Friday when a captain sustained a laceration to his left eye after another inmate lashed out during a routine tour, sources said.
“This officer was doing his job, helping check a lock on a cell door when he was attacked,” said Peter Thorne, the Correction Department’s deputy commissioner for public information. “We will not tolerate violent behavior towards our officers or anyone else who works for the department. We are investigating and will pursue rearrests as necessary.”
The department also plans to rearrest Stichel for the pipe incident, sources said.
Stichel is accused of shooting Det. Soto in the leg when cops stopped him for driving the wrong way on DeKalb Ave. in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. Police had been seeking him on armed robbery charges. His trial is set to begin on Wednesday.