Police Fatally Shoot Man in NYC After He Points Fake Gun at Officers, City's Second Fatal Shooting This Week
A 37-year-old man was killed by NYPD officers Thursday night in a confrontation in the West Village after he allegedly pointed a gun at them that turned out to be fake. The incident occurred near Bedford Street and Sixth Avenue around 10:50 p.m., with two people reporting they'd been involved in a car crash with a BMW.
According to Assistant Chief James McCarthy, commanding officer of Manhattan South patrol borough, the officers approached the stopped vehicle and met the man inside who stepped out and pointed what appeared to be a gun at them. The officers fired, but the man refused to drop it despite being ordered to do so.
EMS workers were called to the scene and took the man to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. McCarthy said the man didn't say anything during the incident, and the whole encounter was captured on the officers' body-worn cameras.
The West Village street was still taped off Friday morning as police continued to investigate, with a smashed BMW parked in the middle of the block. Witnesses described hearing gunshots and sirens, and one neighbor said it felt like the shooting was inside his apartment.
Hours earlier, NYPD officers fatally shot another man at New York-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital after he barricaded himself in a room with a sharp object. The victim allegedly advanced on the officers with his bloodied weapon despite being repeatedly ordered to drop it by authorities.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani wrote on social media that the shootings were "devastating to all New Yorkers" and vowed an internal investigation would be conducted to ensure thoroughness and swiftness.
The NYPD's force investigation division is reviewing both police shootings, which have raised concerns about deescalation techniques and mental health support. Manhatten Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal called for action, stating that imitation guns like the one used in the shooting are "deadly serious" and manufacturers must be held accountable.
The incidents come as city officials look to address gun violence and police accountability.
A 37-year-old man was killed by NYPD officers Thursday night in a confrontation in the West Village after he allegedly pointed a gun at them that turned out to be fake. The incident occurred near Bedford Street and Sixth Avenue around 10:50 p.m., with two people reporting they'd been involved in a car crash with a BMW.
According to Assistant Chief James McCarthy, commanding officer of Manhattan South patrol borough, the officers approached the stopped vehicle and met the man inside who stepped out and pointed what appeared to be a gun at them. The officers fired, but the man refused to drop it despite being ordered to do so.
EMS workers were called to the scene and took the man to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. McCarthy said the man didn't say anything during the incident, and the whole encounter was captured on the officers' body-worn cameras.
The West Village street was still taped off Friday morning as police continued to investigate, with a smashed BMW parked in the middle of the block. Witnesses described hearing gunshots and sirens, and one neighbor said it felt like the shooting was inside his apartment.
Hours earlier, NYPD officers fatally shot another man at New York-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital after he barricaded himself in a room with a sharp object. The victim allegedly advanced on the officers with his bloodied weapon despite being repeatedly ordered to drop it by authorities.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani wrote on social media that the shootings were "devastating to all New Yorkers" and vowed an internal investigation would be conducted to ensure thoroughness and swiftness.
The NYPD's force investigation division is reviewing both police shootings, which have raised concerns about deescalation techniques and mental health support. Manhatten Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal called for action, stating that imitation guns like the one used in the shooting are "deadly serious" and manufacturers must be held accountable.
The incidents come as city officials look to address gun violence and police accountability.
... I mean, can you even imagine being involved in a car crash and then having a fake gun pointed at you? It's like something out of a movie 
. And the fact that it was two separate incidents already this week just feels like NYC is getting more and more crazy 
.
. Like, what's the deal with that? Have we really become so paranoid? 
. My aunt lost her brother in a similar situation and it was just devastating for the whole family 
.
. We can't just keep pretending like everything's fine when it's not 
.
by how quickly everyone's jumping to conclusions about this situation. First of all, we don't even know what was going on inside that BMW or why the guy pointed a fake gun at the cops. Maybe he was having a mental breakdown or something? We can't just assume it was some kind of ambush or setup.
. The officers are right to be cautious, but at the same time... can't these guys just talk things out? 
. And the fact that it was captured on body-worn cameras is a good thing, but what's gonna happen next? More investigations? Less accountability? I don't know, man... just wanna see some common sense prevail 
body-worn cameras all they want but when it comes to accountability... 
just another night in nyc where a confrontation turns deadly so fast...can't help but wonder what was going through that guy's mind 
. anyway, hope the investigation is thorough and something changes for real 
this is getting crazy... another fake gun incident & police shooting in the same week in NYC 
mayor mamdani's all like "devastating" & "internal investigation", but when will that actually happen? 
what's gonna change? 
. I mean, can you imagine being in their shoes, knowing that your training and protocol didn't save someone's life? 
.
.
. We need real change, and we need it now 
.
. Can't believe they're reviewing body-worn cameras again... like it's going to change anything. These officers are trained to react quickly but still, someone ends up getting killed every week 
. They need to work on de-escalation techniques for real, not just lip service. And what's with the fake gun? It's not even a good prop, looks like something from a bad action movie 
. Anyway, city officials are all talk now... let's see if they actually make some changes 
. This whole thing is just so frustrating 
.
it's scary for all us residents 
especially when you hear sirens and gunshots near your home 
I just hope city officials take action soon 
and that there are more resources available for mental health support 
police officers do an important job but sometimes it feels like they're putting themselves in harm's way 
. What's even more concerning is that this isn't an isolated incident – we've seen another fatality in just 3 days! That's a staggering rate of violence. I think Mayor Mamdani needs to take it up a notch and propose concrete reforms like mental health support, deescalation training, and stricter laws on imitation guns 
did they have to shoot him though? was there no other way out?? 