A man in the Bronx was shot by NYPD on Sunday evening after officers mistook him for an armed assailant, authorities said. The incident, which unfolded in the Mott Haven neighborhood, began when the man, 32, reportedly called 911 seeking help but was later confronted by officers who believed he posed a threat.
Around 5:40 p.m. on January 12, the man dialed 911 from his residence at 335 East 148th Street, telling the operator in Spanish that someone was attempting to steal his air conditioner. When two female officers arrived at the scene, they initially could not locate the caller and began descending the building’s staircase.
As they were leaving, the officers encountered the 32-year-old man walking up the stairs, holding a knife in his right hand. Police say the man had entered through a side door after attempting to confront a suspected burglar.
According to Deputy Chief Rohan Griffith of the NYPD’s Force Investigation Division, one officer issued verbal commands, telling the man to “wait” and “drop it,” while also signaling him to stop with her hand. However, Griffith said the man continued advancing toward the officers with the knife still in hand. At that point, one of the officers fired her weapon, striking the man in the torso.
EMS quickly transported the victim to Lincoln Hospital, where he was reported to be in stable condition. Authorities say he is expected to survive.
Investigators are examining the circumstances surrounding the shooting, including the possibility of a language barrier between the officers and the 911 caller. Griffith noted that an interpreter was used during the 911 call, but authorities are still working to determine if the officers fully understood the caller’s instructions and if there were any communication issues.
“We need to ascertain whether the officers understood what the caller was saying and vice versa,” Griffith said.
The NYPD is also investigating the suspected burglar, who is believed to have fled the scene. The department’s Force Investigation Division, which handles all police-involved shootings, is conducting the inquiry into the incident.
