A man wielding a butcher knife was fatally shot by New York Police Department officers on Manhattan's Lower East Side on Sunday afternoon. The incident unfolded after officers responded to multiple 911 calls reporting an assault in progress at an apartment building on Ludlow Street, near Rivington Street, around 4:06 p.m.
Upon arriving at the scene, officers discovered a trail of blood in the building's lobby and ascending the staircase. As officers proceeded up the stairs, the armed suspect, identified as 54-year-old Wei Chan, charged down with a large butcher knife. Police repeatedly instructed Chan to drop the weapon, but he refused. When the suspect lunged at officers, they first deployed a taser, which proved ineffective. Subsequently, officers discharged their firearms, firing at least four shots.
Wei Chan was pronounced dead at a local hospital. In an upstairs apartment, officers found his 75-year-old father, Chung Chan, with a head gash. It remains unclear if the injury was caused by the knife or another object during a domestic dispute. The father was also taken to a local hospital and is expected to survive.
Four members of the Fire Department of New York (FDNY) were transported to the hospital with minor injuries. Assistant Police Chief Melissa Eger stated that officers entered the building without knowing what awaited them, commending their bravery.
Chan had no prior criminal record but had documented mental health issues. Witnesses described the scene, with one man noting he initially thought it was a "neighborhood fight" and his wife recounting seeing a man receiving CPR on a gurney.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani confirmed he had been briefed on the events and wished the elder Chan a speedy recovery. He stated that, as with all incidents where NYPD officers discharge their weapons, an internal investigation will be conducted, and body-worn camera footage will be released.
The NYPD has asked residents to avoid the area while the investigation continues.