On Wednesday, August 27th, correction officers at Rikers Island’s North Infirmary Command were attacked by inmate Sundance Oliver, 30, who slashed two guards with a ceramic scalpel while they were evacuating a fire in his cell. One officer required 17 stitches across his scalp, while the other sustained a facial laceration needing seven stitches.
On the streets, Oliver has a serious criminal history. He allegedly led a four-day shooting spree in 2022 across Brooklyn and Manhattan, which resulted in the deaths of a 17-year-old girl and a 21-year-old man, and critically wounded a 96-year-old wheelchair-bound bystander. His rap sheet reportedly includes more than 30 arrests, spanning violent charges such as robbery, attempted murder, and murder, dating back to his youth.
Oliver’s violence streak at Rikers is both staggering and persistent. Union officials such as Correction Officers’ Benevolent Association President Benny Boscio say he has assaulted “over 50 officers and civilians” behind bars in just two years. One jail staff member described being “traumatized” after being choked and beaten by Oliver, calling for 24-hour lockdowns to ensure safety.
COBA President Boscio, in a statement, said, “This inmate, who should be immediately charged with attempted murder, is a perfect example of the failures of our criminal justice system that has kept this violent assailant in our jails for years, while many of our elected officials have virtually eliminated serious consequences for inmates, who commit violent crimes in jails.”
Elected officials have been trying to remove punitive segregation, which they incorrectly call solitary confinement, for years, to the detriment of correction officers and other inmates. With a very public campaign of misinformation about punitive segregation, officers, guards, and inmates are continuously put into dangerous situations, including this most recent violence attack which the COBA president claims to be “the most violent assault on its members in years.”
COBA President Boscio criticized political figures advocating for Rikers’ closure, including mayoral Democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani, arguing that high-risk detainees like Oliver highlight the need for better protective measures. Department of Corrections officials say they will pursue the “fullest extent of the law” for this latest attack.
