Police officers were involved in a shooting incident in Brooklyn for the second night in a row, taking aim at a machete-wielding man after he allegedly mangled a woman and her pet on Tuesday night.
Officers responded to multiple 911 calls at around 6:10 p.m. on Dec. 29 in Brownsville, to deal with reports of a man attacking people with a machete and attempting to enter a nearby residence, according Chief of Patrol Juanita Holmes.
Units arrived at Strauss Street and Dumont Avenue to discover a woman and her pet dog being hacked away by a deranged man, leaving both the animal and victim with serious lacerations. The woman suffered deep cuts to to her head and hands.
Ralph Marrero, an eyewitness to the incident, told amNewYork Metro that he dialed 911 after seeing a “crazed man” attacking motorists by Betsy Head Park.
“He blocked the road, when they slowed down to see what’s going on, he started attacking them through the driver’s side window,” Marrero said.
After witnessing several attacks and extreme erratic behavior, Marrero dialed 911. During this time, the suspect spotted a woman walking her dog and immediately began the attack. According to Marrero, the suspect began wildly slashing at the victim and her pet between two parked cars.
Marrero could only watch in fear alongside his 11-year-old son. But as soon as police arrived, he alerted them to the slasher’s whereabouts.
“When the police came, he started approaching the police swinging the machete. I yelled ‘shoot him’,” Marrero exclaimed.
The assailant refused to comply with commands to drop the weapon and was downed with a single bullet to the chest before officers began resuscitation attempts. The suspect was transported to Brookdale University Hospital Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. The victim was rushed to Kings County Hospital while her pet was taken to a local veterinary clinic. The victim and her pet are in stable condition, according to police officials. The responding NYPD officers were also whisked to Kings County Hospital for observation.
Remaining officers from the 73rd Precinct cordoned off the scene and redirected traffic away from Dumont Avenue and Strauss Street while Emergency Services scoured the area in search of further evidence.
Dramatic video obtained by amNewYork Metro shows the scene after the police shooting, including the blood-covered woman. Video taken by Ralph Marrero. (WARNING: Graphic content, viewer discretion strongly advised).
“She was covered in blood, holding her arm, but she was comforting her dog,” Marrero said with a trembling voice.
Cops have had a rough holiday week in Brooklyn. On Monday, an officer shot a suspect who charged at them during a gun arrest in East Flatbush and appeared to reach in his waistband for something; it turned out that he was unarmed.
And on Christmas Eve night, a member of the 77th Precinct was shot in the back by a suspect in a domestic violence incident in Weeksville. The perpetrator was arrested without further incident, and the officer managed to survive his injuries thanks to his bulletproof vest.
Additional reporting by Lloyd Mitchell.
