A police officer opened fire on a man from New York after he allegedly attacked officers with a box cutter knife.
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According to a report by CBS News, the incident occurred on Wednesday afternoon at around 1:50 PM on Avenue K and Utica Avenue.
Authorities say two plain-clothes detectives in an unmarked police car in the area noticed two men having a verbal altercation on the sidewalk. The officers stopped and exited their vehicle and tried to de-escalate the situation. However, when they approached, the officers noticed one of the men was holding a box cutter.
The detectives reportedly gave 'clear and repeated warnings' to the man with the box cutter, telling him to put it down. He allegedly ignored them and continued his argument with the other man, still brandishing the box cutter. One detective reportedly stood between the two men in an attempt to stop the fight, but the armed man still approached, forcing law enforcement to take action. The detective allegedly fired a single shot at the armed suspect, hitting him in the torso.
NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny shed some light on the incident during an interview. "The detective immediately requested a response from EMS and additional officers," Kenny said. "Uniformed officers responded quickly and performed first aid on the subject. He was removed to Kings County Hospital via ambulance, where he's currently listed in critical condition."
The Man With The Box Cutter Threw An Object At A Car Before The Altercation
Per a report by PIX11, Authorities say the man wielding the box cutter had a 'history of being emotionally disturbed.'
The outlet reports that the suspect, who they say is 33, 'threw an object' at a passing car at random. That object hit a white BMW. The car stopped, and the driver got out to confront him. As the detectives were in plain clothes, neither of them was wearing a body cam. However, security cameras on a nearby business reportedly caught everything.
There is a surgical center near where the altercation occurred, and a doctor from the establishment reportedly treated the suspect after he was shot.
