New York City Mayor Eric Adams went after Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) after she publicly insisted that a man who lost his life after being put into a chokehold at an NYC subway had been “murdered.”
Jordan Neely was murdered.
But bc Jordan was houseless and crying for food in a time when the city is raising rents and stripping services to militarize itself while many in power demonize the poor, the murderer gets protected w/ passive headlines + no charges.
It’s disgusting. https://t.co/YJeQp9bbgE
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) May 3, 2023
Around the same time, City Comptroller Brad Lander declared that NYC “must not become a city where a mentally ill human being can be choked to death by a vigilante without consequence,” nor “where the killer is justified & cheered.”
NYC is not Gotham. We must not become a city where a mentally ill human being can be choked to death by a vigilante without consequence. Or where the killer is justified & cheered. https://t.co/oQDnmItp83
— Brad Lander (@bradlander) May 3, 2023
Adams took issue with AOC’s allegations, insisting it is a rushed conclusion that should not be made until more details surrounding the incident emerge.
“Let’s let the DA conduct his investigation with the law enforcement officials. To really interfere with that is not the right thing to do,” Adams remarked.
“I’m going to be responsible and allow them to do their job and allow them to determine exactly what happened here.”
After being asked on Wednesday by CNN’s Abby D. Phillip to react to claims of the event amounting to a “murder” by Lander as well as AOC, Adams commented, “I don’t think that’s very responsible at a time when we’re still investigating the situation.”
Phillip shared the exchange on Twitter.
I asked @NYCMayor Eric Adams to respond to comments from @AOC and @bradlander regarding the death of #JordanNeely on the NYC subway Monday. Here's what he said:
"I don't think that's very responsible at a time when we're still investigating the situation."@CNN #CNNPrimetime pic.twitter.com/NNkBjrexef
— Abby D. Phillip (@abbydphillip) May 4, 2023
In another statement on the matter, Adams commented that any death is tragic and that he will not comment further as there is still much to learn about the case, reported The Post Millennial.
He acknowledged that there were likely severe mental health issues that contributed to the incident, adding that those types of problems are exactly why his office “has made record investments in providing care to those who need it and getting people [off] the streets and the subways, and out of dangerous situations.”
The NYC mayor additionally urged “all elected officials and advocacy groups” to assist with “prioritizing getting people the care they need and not just allowing them to languish.”
Reports have indicated that numerous protestors have gathered to demonstrate and express their anger following the death of 30-year-old Jordan Neely, who according to a New York medical examiner passed away from “compression of neck.”
Neely reportedly was acting “hostile and erratic” prior to the chokehold and was being sought out for a warrant relating to a felony assault charge. He also has been detained over 44 times for public indecency.
