Police officers in the Bronx shot a knife-wielding man dead on Thursday night as he charged at them with his weapon when they attempted to stop him from attacking a woman, police reported.
The two officers involved — a sergeant and detective assigned to the Bronx Narcotics Bureau — were not injured, according to Chief of Department Terence Monahan.
The trouble began at about 6:15 p.m. on Jan. 21, when the officers observed a knife-wielding man, believed to be in his 40s, chasing after a woman at the corner of East 233rd Street and Barnes Avenue in Williamsbridge.
Monahan said the sergeant and detective were in their vehicle while stopped at a red light when the chaotic scene developed. Several witnesses to the incident had also called out to the officers to help.
The two officers then exited from their vehicle and chased after the man as he wielded a large knife and ran after the woman. Monahan said the suspect and victim were known to each other; the woman later told police the perpetrator had approached her on Jan. 20 and threatened to kill her for not having called him.
“She got away yesterday. As she sees him again today, he approaches her and the dispute escalates today,” Monahan reported. “A few people tried to intercede on the corner, she ran and that’s when our police officers got out of their car and got involved.”
Thursday night, the chief said, the two plain-clothed officers — whose NYPD shields were visible — repeatedly identified themselves to the knife-wielding culprit and ordered him to drop their weapon.
“At this time, the man turned around and ran toward the sergeant and detective, still armed with that large knife,” Monahan said. “The sergeant and detective both fired a total of five to six rounds from their service weapons, striking the man.”
EMS units responded moments later and rushed the attacker to Montefiore Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Police have withheld his identity, pending the ongoing investigation.
The NYPD’s Force Investigation Division, which handles police shooting cases, is also conducting an inquiry.
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A #police involved #shooting took place in the #Bronx on East 233 Street and Barnes Ave where officers shot a man wielding a knife #Wakefield #news pic.twitter.com/3oL5RZb03e
— Dean_Moses (@Dean_Moses) January 22, 2021
With reporting by Dean Moses
