The family of Jimmy Avila has filed a lawsuit following his death just six hours after arriving at Rikers Island.

Avila was at Rikers Island after being charged with murdering a man and seriously hurting two other people.

Avila called News 12’s newsroom the day of the shooting in Claremont, claiming it was "self-defense."

The family argues that Avila should have had access to mental health treatment immediately and if he did, he would still be alive.

Avila’s family says that he was a champion of housing rights and was the president of his tenant association.