On Thursday, activists will be holding a day of action for the lives lost in Department of Correction custody. 

Calls for accountability and for the shutdown of Rikers Island grow louder from the families of Rikers inmates who have died while in the custody of the DOC. 

The 18th person who died this week has been identified as 26-year-old Gilberto Garcia. Multiple organizations will begin rallying outside of City Hall starting at 6 a.m. 

Johnny Perez, a former inmate at Rikers Island and a member of the Jails Action Coalition, expressed how those deaths at the facility have impacted the city.  

“These are people who have not been found guilty of any crime and have not been sentenced to any prison time,” said Perez. “Yet they’ve received the ultimate consequence, which is death.” 

In the past, the DOC has stated challenges in running the jail, including guard shortages, among other factors.  

The families of the 18 people who died at Rikers Island this year will be in attendance for the day of action.