Terrifying moment crazed man, 21, lunges at NYPD officer before he’s killed in a hail of gunfire at apartment block in Roosevelt Island
Freshly released bodycam footage shows the moment a New York man charged at police with a kitchen knife before being shot dead in a flurry of bullets.
The 21-year-old was off his medication and high on marijuana, according to a family member who called New York police to report a disturbance.
The young man had threatened a family member at the Roosevelt Landings apartment complex at 540 Main Street, Roosevelt Island.
Police arrived on August 4 around 11:30 p.m. Cameras rolled on at least four of the officers and several angles were released from the perspectives of officers Virealla-Abreu, Birch, Mehr and Mazza.
The nightmarish ordeal began when police entered the lobby, with one group preparing to enter the apartment while another stayed to hold the door open for backup.
The 21-year-old suspect ran toward an officer, brandishing a knife, while the officer was facing away from him. It was reported that the attacker was under the influence of marijuana and no longer taking medications
The young man then boarded an officer where three other officers were preparing to go to his apartment. He was shot dead after a taser proved ineffective and he continued walking towards police
Three officers entered an elevator, one carrying a shield. Three others lingered in the hallway trying to hold the door open, along with a plainclothes person who appeared to be a civilian.
Suddenly, the suspect stepped out of another elevator and ran down the hallway toward an officer who stood with his back to him, brandishing a knife.
The officers in the lobby fled back behind the door and the man turned abruptly towards the elevator, gun in hand.
He was dressed in a white T-shirt with the logo of Drake’s record label OVO, black sweatpants and Nike Jordan sneakers with bright green laces.
Officer Abreu pulled out a Taser and pointed it at the man’s chest, but he didn’t budge. Abreu pushed and kicked the suspect as he approached. Mehr and Mazza stood on either side of the officer and drew their guns and opened fire.
The suspect fell backwards from the elevator when a hail of bullets hit his chest.
As he lay on the ground, he raised his right arm, still holding the knife, before it fell limply to his chest.
NYPD Crime Stoppers later released an image of the knife. There appears to be blood on it, but it is unclear from whom.
Three officers were in the elevator preparing to go to the unit where a domestic disturbance had been reported when the suspect rushed out of another elevator and attacked them.
NYPD released an image of the weapon used in the attack: an otherwise unsuspecting kitchen knife
Police and first responders crowded the street in front of the apartment complex. EMS took the man to the hospital, where he died several hours later
The shocking attack took place at 540 Main Street, an apartment complex known as Roosevelt Landings
Officers provided first aid until an ambulance arrived. EMS took the young man to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead on August 5 at 12:28 p.m.
NYPD held a press conference at 2:20 a.m., just hours later.
Assistant Chief Christine Bastedenbeck, NYPD commander of Patrol Borough Queens North, explained what had happened to stunned residents and members of the media.
“Thankfully, none of the officers or civilians in the area were injured during this incident,” she said.
On September 8, bodycam footage was released at the direction of New York Attorney General Letitia James.
a press release accompanied the video, explaining that it had been released as part of an investigation by the Office of Special Investigation (OSI).
Under New York State Law Section 70-b, OSI is required to review any incident involving the killing of a suspect by police.
If an investigation shows that an officer caused the death, this will lead to a full investigation into the conduct of officers.
James demanded that the bodycam footage be made public “to increase transparency and strengthen public confidence in these matters.”