Federal Sweep at Brooklyn Prison Following Stabbings
On Monday morning, the U.S. Department of Justice, alongside various law enforcement agencies, initiated a comprehensive sweep of the notorious Metropolitan Detention Center (M.D.C.) in Brooklyn. This action comes in the wake of a summer incident where two detainees were tragically fatally stabbed within the facility.
The operation was spearheaded by members of the Department’s Office of the Inspector General, emphasizing the seriousness of the situation at this long-troubled institution. Last month, five inmates were charged with murder in connection with these violent incidents, shedding light on the escalating concerns regarding safety and security at the facility.
Donald Murphy, a spokesperson for the Federal Bureau of Prisons, which oversees the M.D.C., provided a statement confirming that “the operation was preplanned and there is no active threat” currently present in the prison, which houses approximately 1,200 individuals, including high-profile detainees such as Sean Combs, widely known as Diddy, and Sam Bankman-Fried.
While Mr. Murphy refrained from disclosing specific details about the operation, he assured the public that the Bureau had been intricately involved in its planning. He stated that the action was “designed to achieve our shared goal of maintaining a safe environment for both our employees and the incarcerated individuals housed at M.D.C. Brooklyn.”
As the day progressed, there was minimal visible evidence outside the detention center indicating that a significant sweep had taken place. A contingent of officers from the F.B.I. and the federal Drug Enforcement Administration were seen regularly entering and exiting the facility. Additionally, officers in tactical fatigues from a K9 unit were stationed near the entrance, and an F.B.I. agent appeared to be conducting patrols in the vicinity.
This sweep is part of ongoing efforts to address the persistent and serious complaints that have plagued the approximately 30-year-old facility situated on the waterfront in the Sunset Park neighborhood. Reports detailing allegations of sexual assaults and inhumane living conditions have led to mounting criticism from judges, advocacy groups, and the families of detainees.
