Mamdani ignites online firestorm after mourning death of inmate charged in grisly murder: 'WTF are we doing?'
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani drew ire from conservatives on Tuesday for mourning the death of a man who was awaiting trial on murder charges."I am deeply saddened by the death of a New Yorker in City custody at a jail on Rikers Island early this morning," Mamdani posted on X.Clarence Woodward, the man Mamdani was referencing, was arrested in 2024 and charged with murder, manslaughter and assault in connection with an unprovoked meat cleaver attack at a Bronx laundromat.At the time, Woodward had 27 prior arrests and had received parole just a month prior to the alleged killing.
Woodward had pleaded not guilty to the charges and had not been convicted."My thoughts are with his family and loved ones as they grieve this loss.We do not yet know the cause of death, but we do know that too many New Yorkers have died on Rikers Island.
The Department of Correction and its oversight partners will investigate the circumstances surrounding his death.Our administration is fully committed to the critical work of creating better conditions in our city’s jail system and closing Rikers Island as quickly as possible."WOKE LANGUAGE OVERHAUL WOULD STRIP THE WORD 'INMATE' FROM NEW YORK CITY'S ENTIRE JAIL RULEBOOKNew York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani speaking with inmates on Rikers Island while they watch a World Cup semifinal soccer match on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, in New York.
(AP Photo/Seth Wenig)As of Thursday morning, Mamdani’s post has been viewed over 3.2 million times, with the majority of comments expressing outrage over Mamdani offering condolences to the inmate."I wonder if he was ‘deeply saddened’ by the murder this guy committed," New York City Councilwoman Vicky Paladino wrote."Can’t find a tweet about that one.""He’s sad that someone who murdered an innocent American with a meat cleaver is dead," conservative commentator Eyal Yakoby posted.
"What are we even doing?"DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS SEIZE THE MOMENT WITH EXTREME, ANTI-AMERICAN VIEWS THAT BADLY TARN...