A female New York Police Department officer was slashed in the face early Sunday after a man tried to force entry into the 73rd Precinct in Brownsville, and was later shot and killed by officers following a street chase, law enforcement sources said.
The incident began about 5:15 a.m. when the man attempted to enter the precinct through an employee entrance, according to sources. When an officer told him to use the front door, the man produced a knife and struck the female officer in the face. Her head wound was described by sources as minor.
Officers pursued the man down the street. Sources said he brandished a knife and charged at officers outside a housing project near East New York Avenue and Amboy Street, prompting two officers to fire. The man, described by sources as being in his 40s, was taken to Brookdale Hospital in Brooklyn and was pronounced dead on arrival.
No names have been released. The NYPD did not immediately provide an official statement, and law enforcement sources provided the account to reporters.
Police-involved shootings in New York City are subject to department protocols and review by city oversight agencies. The circumstances of this encounter — including whether any body-worn or surveillance video captured the altercation and the shooting — have not been disclosed by authorities.
There were no other reported injuries. The investigation is being handled by law enforcement sources and will likely include reviews of witness statements and physical evidence from the scene.
The 73rd Precinct serves a portion of East New York and Brownsville, neighborhoods in eastern Brooklyn. Local elected officials and community leaders have previously raised questions about public safety and police tactics in the area; however, no public reactions specific to Sunday's incident had been released as of the initial reporting.
Further details, including any formal statements from the NYPD or the medical examiner's office, were not immediately available. Authorities have not disclosed the motive for the man's attempt to enter the precinct or additional information about his background.