Inmate Shoots Another Prisoner on NY Transport Van After Gun Missed in Search

Incident Overview

• 🎯 A serious incident occurred in Mount Vernon where an incarcerated man, Lewis Sodto, allegedly shot another inmate while being transported in a police van.
• ⚠️ The incident happened as five handcuffed prisoners were being driven to the Westchester County Jail, raising significant concerns about security protocols.

Alleged Circumstances of the Shooting

• 🔫 Investigators believe Sodto, arrested for forcible touching, hid a small .22 caliber handgun on his body.
• 🔍 A source indicates that police officers who searched Sodto prior to transport failed to detect the firearm.
• 💥 Officers reported hearing a gunshot from the rear of the van, followed by a prisoner announcing that he had been shot.

Security Protocol Failures and Repercussions

• 🚨 Retired NYPD detective Phil Grimaldi stated that the firearm should have been detected before transport, calling the situation extremely dangerous.
• ⚖️ Mount Vernon had previously reduced strip searches as part of a civil rights settlement, but police assert current policies should have still caught the weapon.
• 🛠️ Effective immediately, the use of the department's magnetometer handheld wand is mandatory for all prisoner processing.
• 👮 The two officers involved in the transport have been placed on desk duty.
• 🏥 The injured prisoner is receiving treatment, and the DA's public and law enforcement integrity bureau is leading the investigation.
• 🗣️ Community activist Jesse Vanloo called the incident