New York City witnessed a tragic incident on November 18th, where a mentally disturbed homeless man went on a random stabbing spree, resulting in the deaths of three individuals. Mayor Adams expressed on November 19th that this incident highlighted government negligence, and he hopes to expand the policy of mandatory hospitalization for psychiatric patients while urging the state council to pass the “Supportive Intervention Act.”
The random stabbing incident that occurred in Midtown Manhattan on the 18th claimed the lives of three individuals, including a person of Chinese descent. The suspect, 51-year-old homeless man Ramon Rivera, had a history of multiple arrests and severe mental illness. He appeared in court the next day, facing three counts of murder charges, and the judge ordered him to be held in custody without bail.
During a regular press conference at City Hall on the 19th, Mayor Adams, when asked about the incident, stated his intention to expand the policy of mandatory hospitalization for psychiatric patients. Adams had issued a directive in November 2022, requiring the New York City Police Department and outreach teams to forcibly hospitalize individuals deemed dangerous to themselves or others for inpatient treatment. However, this policy sparked significant controversy upon its implementation.
Expressing dissatisfaction, Adams remarked that everyone called him inhumane, yet the unfortunate incident on the 18th was a result of psychiatric patients not being forcibly hospitalized. He emphasized that the killings of three innocent people sounded an alarm for New York’s criminal justice system and mental health services, demanding a response.
Adams further urged state government and the state council to promptly pass the “Supportive Intervention Act,” which would clearly define the standards for psychiatric patients’ inpatient treatment, granting the city government the actual power to mandate hospitalization for patients. This bill was introduced in the state council in 2023, broadening the reasons for involuntary hospitalization, but it has yet to pass through even the council committees.
State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal and newly elected State Assemblyman Micah Lasher also announced on the 19th the introduction of a new bill named H.E.L.P., expanding the scope of the state’s mental health laws to empower nurses, psychologists, and clinical social workers to decide whether psychiatric patients should undergo mandatory hospitalization.