A man armed with a 14-inch butcher knife entered the New York Police Department’s 73rd Precinct in Brooklyn early Sunday and slashed a female officer in the face before fleeing and being shot dead by officers during a subsequent pursuit, authorities said.
The attack occurred just before 5:30 a.m. when the man entered the precinct through an employee entrance, NYPD Chief of Patrol Philip Rivera told reporters. When a female officer told him to leave and re-enter through the front door, the man produced a large butcher knife and slashed her in the face, Rivera said. The officer fought him off and he ran out the back of the precinct.
Officers pursuing the suspect deployed a taser that did not stop him, Rivera said. Several officers chased him and ordered him to drop the weapon; the suspect did not comply. A short time later, the man lunged at an officer with the knife and multiple officers opened fire, striking him numerous times. He was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.
The injured officer was transported to a hospital, treated and described by Rivera as being in "good spirits." Investigators recovered the 14-inch blade at the scene. Rivera said police had a tentative identification for the man but could not immediately release his name. The incident remains under investigation.
"This situation could have turned out very differently," Rivera said, adding that the episode underscores the daily risks faced by NYPD officers. Police did not immediately release additional details about the suspect’s background, whether he had a prior criminal record, or what may have motivated the attack.
The shooting comes amid ongoing public scrutiny of policing tactics and use of force in New York and nationwide. Rivera did not provide details on the number of officers who fired or their unit assignments. Standard procedure in such cases typically involves internal review and, depending on city protocols, may include investigations by separate oversight bodies to examine the officers' actions.
Authorities asked anyone with information or video of the incident to contact NYPD detectives. The department said it would continue its investigation and provide further information as it becomes available.