Ten New York police officers opened fire on a male who they say was armed with a gun and wouldn’t drop it in Brooklyn’s Crown Heights neighborhood. The male died at the scene, according to an NYPD commander who gave a press conference. The large volley of gunfire was captured on a citizen video, which you can watch later in this article.
The age and identity of the male who was shot by the police was not released. Police say the June 2 shooting was not tried to the recent George Floyd protests. Chief Terence A. Monahan said that “10 officers fired,” but they don’t know the number of rounds yet. “Numerous rounds. it’s still very early in counting the rounds,” according to police. His mother identified him as Malik Tyquan Graves, 34. She told News12 he was shot 18-19 times.
NYPD Brooklyn North shared a photo of a gun in the grass and wrote on Twitter, “EMERGENCY at the C/O Bergen Street and Rochester Ave. Ongoing investigation. There was a shooting at the location then police responded and discharged their weapons, striking the armed perpetrator. Police have recovered the perp’s firearm.”
EMERGENCY at the C/O Bergen Street and Rochester Ave. Ongoing investigation. There was a shooting at the location then police responded and discharged their weapons, striking the armed perpetrator. Police have recovered the perp’s firearm.
Here’s what you need to know:
A Citizen Video Captured a Large Amount of Gunfire
A disturbing video emerged on social media. You can watch it below, but be aware that the language is graphic. The video captures the sound of a large amount of gunfire.
“There’s too many cops right there, ya’ll,” a person says in the video.
“They’re going to kill him,” someone says.
“He’s running with a gun, what are you doing?” says someone.
“He’s got it in his hand? He’s got it in his hand?” says a woman.
“They’re going to shoot him bro. Drop the f*cking gun, drop the gun,” says someone in the video.
Gunfire breaks out in the distance.
“I told you,” says a woman.
“They killed him,” says a man.
“He’s dead,” says a man.
Police Say the Suspect Was Ordered Repeatedly to Drop the Weapon
Watch as @nypdchiefofdept provides details of tonight’s police involved shooting. After officers responded to a 9-1-1 call for a shot spotter activation in Brooklyn they encountered an armed suspect who had reportedly just shot another male.
In a June 2 press conference, Monahan said, “Tonight…police responded to a Shotspotter activation in the vicinity of 1668 Bergen Street.” Upon arrival, they discovered a male victim who was shot on the corner of Rochester and Bergen Street. That’s not the same person later shot by the police.
According to Monahan, witnesses “informed the officers that the perpetrator was further up the block on Bergen Street. The Officers then encountered a male who was hiding up a tree up the block…The male was armed with a gun. They observed a gun in his hands. The officers gave orders for the male to drop the weapon for over a minute. That is on body cam and on witnesses Facebook accounts. The male refused the orders of the officers.”
At that point, “The officers discharged their weapons at the individual and struck him. A handgun was discovered at the scene,” said Monahan. Police held a photo of the gun aloft during the news conference.
“The male was pronounced deceased. The original victim that was shot was taken to the hospital and he is currently in stable condition,” said Monahan.
“We’re still reviewing body cam. We wanted to get this out early. We hear the officers for over a minute: he’s moving his hands, he’s getting up, he’s going to go, he’s going to go, drop the gun, drop the gun, please drop the gun, please drop the gun,” said Monahan. “We also have Facebook video where you hear residents who were filming behind yelling to the man drop the gun, drop the gun. That went on for approximately a minute.”
ABC 7 reported that officers have minor injuries, and the police shooting occurred at Kingsborough Houses at Rochester Avenue and Dean Street.
People expressed anger on Twitter. “Omg the police were involved in a shooting just now in Brooklyn! On top of all this bullsh*t!! The victim is possibly dead! Crown heights!” one Twitter user wrote.
“The cops killed another person in bk this is a fuccing war at this point,” wrote one man on Facebook. He shared a lengthier video but then privatized or deleted it.
“How can you justify shooting someone that many times. Sounds like an army was after him, holy f*ck,” write a Twitter user on the video.
According to NBC New York, police initally found a man who was shot and “crawled away after suffering the injury.” They found the gunman “hiding behind a fence,” and he is accused of “coming toward the cops with the gun raised,” the station reported, adding that “several cops then opened fire, striking the suspect multiple times.”
New York City was operating under a curfew. “Tonight’s curfew is in effect 8pm to 5am. After 8pm, the only vehicles allowed south of 96 st in Manhattan will be: essential workers, buses, and delivery trucks. The NYPD remains deeply committed to serving the people of NYC & is asking for everyone’s cooperation,” the NYPD wrote on its Twitter page earlier in the evening.
Crown Heights is a neighborhood located in the New York City borough of Brooklyn.
This post is being updated as more information is learned about the Brooklyn police shooting.
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