Police shot and k!lled a man wielding a knife Saturday afternoon near Times Square after chasing him down Seventh Avenue from 44th Street to 37th Street.
The unidentified man sustained multiple gun shot wounds and was taken to Bellevue Hospital at 3:12 p.m. as he was going into cardiac arrest. The knife-wielding suspect later died from his injuries.
Authorities say the incident began when officers approached a 51-year-old man they say appeared to be smoking marijuana near West 44th Street and Seventh Avenue, in the heart of Times Square.
The knife-wielding man became angry, pulled out an 11-inch knife and began to put a bandanna on his head, according to police said. He refused repeated orders to drop the weapon and began backing down the avenue.
The suspect continued to flee for a number of blocks, drawing many officers into a foot pursuit that took them south of Times Square.
Police said officers’ pepper sprayed the man six times but he held onto the knife throughout the seven-block chase. He then lunged at police at West 37th Street and two officers shot him in the torso.
The police chase and dramatic shooting shocked tourists and passersby in the busy midtown area.
Fox 5 News obtained this exclusive cell phone video as the suspect seems to taunt numerous police officers waving a knife at them in the middle of Times Square.
Angel Colon was on his lunch break when he whipped out his cell phone and captured these moments just before cops opened fire.
“You could see he has a Rambo type knife,” said Colon. “He seemed confused but he was quite edgy and cops were saying ‘drop it’, and then pow pow.”
42nd Street near Times Square is now shut down as police investigate. Witnesses tell us the suspect seemed erratic.
“We see the guy as we came out the subway and my friend and I actually saw it (shooting),” said Julian Miller.
Another witness Jobby Nogueras said “He was just swinging a giant knife around like he was kind of dancing with the knife.”
The suspect was rushed to the hospital but no one else was hurt. When Fox 5 News asked one witness if he believed the shooting was justified.
“He threatened lives of people so he had to be put down.”
things that hardly happen here in UK.
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