A man wielding a knife and threatening bystanders in Manhattan was shot by police on Saturday after a taser failed to subdue him, according to law enforcement officials. The 36-year-old suspect was shot in the buttocks by a police sergeant when he attempted to attack another officer with the knife, narrowly missing her face, said NYPD Assistant Chief Ruel Stevenson.
The incident began when a local resident entered the 23rd precinct on 102nd Street in East Harlem around 5:30 p.m. and reported an aggressive man outside brandishing a knife. Responding to the report, a sergeant and two officers left the precinct and spotted the armed man attempting to stab a victim across the street.
Despite the officers’ repeated orders to drop the weapon, the man continued his pursuit of the victim. He then lunged at one of the officers with the knife before turning his attention back to the victim. As the police continued their pursuit, the man lunged at a second officer, who fired a taser at him. However, the taser proved ineffective, Stevenson said.
The suspect then swung the knife at the second officer, narrowly missing her face. Seeing the officer in danger, the sergeant fired a single round, hitting the man in the buttocks. The entire encounter, described as “chaotic and fast” by the police, lasted just 34 seconds. No civilians were injured during the incident.
The suspect was apprehended and transported to Mount Sinai Morningside Hospital in stable condition. A firearm was recovered from the scene, and charges against the suspect are pending. The suspect had reportedly been involved in a dispute with four other individuals on the street before he became violent.
The incident was recorded on police body cameras and security cameras. According to Stevenson, the suspect is known to the police department and has a history of mental illness. He had two encounters with the police in May, one of which was violent, and was evaluated at a local hospital on both occasions.
The three officers involved in the incident were also taken to a local hospital for evaluation. A local resident, Pai-Chun Ma, 68, reported hearing a loud gunshot and seeing a police officer holding a gun and shouting at the suspect before the shot was fired. After the shot, additional officers from the precinct arrived to assist.