MRI machine sucks in unauthorized visitor wearing metal chain, New York cops say

UPDATE: The injured man died Thursday, July 17, the Nassau County Police Department said in an updated news release.

The original story is below.

A man who entered a room with an MRI machine without authorization was pulled into the machine, New York police reported.

The 61-year-old man suffered critical injuries in the incident at Nassau Open MRI in Westbury at 4:34 p.m. Wednesday, July 16, the Nassau County Police Department said in a news release.

He entered the room wearing a large metallic chain around his neck while a magnetic resonance imaging scan was in progress, pulling him into the machine, police said.

The man was taken to a hospital, where he was listed in critical condition, police said.

What to know about MRI machines

An MRI machine uses powerful magnets to produce non-invasive “three dimensional detailed anatomical images,” the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering said.

Westbury is about a 30-mile drive east from New York City.

This story was originally published July 17, 2025 at 4:11 PM with the headline "MRI machine sucks in unauthorized visitor wearing metal chain, New York cops say."