NYPD officer shoots, kills box-cutter-wielding man in front of his parents in Queens
The 29-year-old man died at Jamaica Hospital after charging at officers during a domestic dispute in Far Rockaway.
An NYPD officer shot and killed a 29-year-old man wielding a box cutter during a domestic dispute in Far Rockaway, Queens, early Sunday, authorities said. The man’s parents had called police to their apartment at 11-70 Nameoke Street at about 12:25 a.m., officials said.
Two officers and the parents entered the apartment but could not locate the son. After they exited the unit, the parents and two officers saw him in the hallway holding a box cutter. The father grappled with the son; officers ordered him to drop the weapon multiple times. One officer deployed a Taser, but the man continued toward them with the blade. He then charged at the officers, and a second officer fired one shot, striking him. He was transported to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, where he died.
Police released a photo of the weapon, which had tape around the handle, at an early morning briefing. The identities of the officers involved were not released.
Neighbor Kean Bravo, 72, said the suspect and his parents had lived in the building for a couple of years and described the young man as quiet. Bravo said he heard the mother scream, “don’t shoot, he’s sick,” before hearing doors slammed repeatedly. He described seeing police and the son wrestling near the doorway as the incident unfolded, telling The Post he had never had trouble with the resident.
Investigators with the NYPD were continuing to examine the circumstances of the shooting, and details such as the officers’ identities and any subsequent actions were not immediately released. The incident highlights ongoing concerns about police use of force in domestic disputes and the dangers officers face when encountering armed suspects in close quarters. The department said the investigation would proceed through its standard procedures, with findings to be reviewed by relevant city and law enforcement officials. In the hours after the shooting, investigators remained on scene, gathering evidence and statements from witnesses.
