Cops Search For BK Murder Suspect Mistakenly Released From Rikers

BROOKLYN, NY — Police have launched a manhunt for a Brooklyn murder suspect who was mistakenly released from Rikers Island this week.

Christopher Buggs, 26, was prematurely released from the Otis Bantum Correctional Center on Rikers Island on Monday, Department of Correction officials confirmed.

Buggs had been charged with second-degree murder in 2018 for the fatal shooting 55-year-old Ernest Brownlee outside a Bed-Stuy bodega on Throop Avenue, according to police. He had been jailed without bail while he awaited his trail, according to the Daily News.

The NYPD sent out an alert about Buggs late Tuesday, asking the public to help locate him.

Corrections officials said they are working with police and investigating how the error occurred.

"We are aware of this incident and a full investigation into how this happened is underway," Deputy Commissioner of Public Information Peter Thorne said in a statement. "Right now we are working with our law enforcement partners to return this‎ individual to custody."

Mayor Bill de Blasio confirmed Wednesday that the release was based on a court order for one case related to Buggs, but that his other charges should have kept him at Rikers.

There is "a high level of confidence" Buggs will be apprehended soon, de Blasio added.

"We’re going to get a full review of this immediately, make whatever changes we have to,” he said.

Sources told the News that the court order was for a criminal contempt case, where Buggs was sentenced to 30 days of time served. The sentence was mistakenly listed as the final disposition in his murder case, the outlet said.

Police said he is approximately 5'5" tall and weighs 160 pounds, police said.

Anyone with information in regard to his whereabouts is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the CrimeStoppers website at WWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COM, on Twitter @NYPDTips. All calls are strictly confidential.