Deranged Man Tries to Stab Cops in NYC, Mayor Mamdani Consoles the Suspect [WATCH]

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said Tuesday that a 22-year-old man who was shot by police during a confrontation in Queens should receive mental health treatment rather than face criminal prosecution, as the Queens district attorney’s office continues to investigate the incident.

The man, identified as Jabez Chakraborty, was shot by New York Police Department officers on Jan. 26 after officers responded to an emergency call at a residence on Parsons Blvd. in the Briarwood section of Queens.

NYPD officials said Chakraborty was holding a large kitchen knife and charged toward officers despite repeated commands to drop the weapon.

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According to police, Chakraborty’s family contacted 911 to report that he was throwing glass inside the home.

Officers responded to the location and attempted to de-escalate the situation. NYPD officials said officers repeatedly instructed Chakraborty to drop the knife and attempted to isolate him by closing a glass door between themselves and Chakraborty in the home’s living room.

Police said Chakraborty was able to open the door and moved toward the officers with the knife extended, overwhelming them.

NYPD officials said officers did not draw their firearms until Chakraborty pulled the knife.

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One officer then fired several shots, striking Chakraborty.

After the shooting, officers provided first aid and attempted to stop the bleeding, according to the NYPD.

Chakraborty was transported to a hospital, where he was listed in critical but stable condition.

The family said he was shot at least four times.

In a statement, Chakraborty’s family said they had requested medical assistance rather than police intervention.

“We called for help,” the family said.

“We called 911 for an ambulance to provide medical attention for our son, who was in emotional distress. We did not call the police. Instead of medical responders, the NYPD arrived and shot our son multiple times right in front of us.”

The Queens district attorney’s office has opened an investigation into the shooting. Preliminary reports indicated that prosecutors were examining whether to seek an indictment for attempted murder.

Mayor Mamdani said Tuesday that after reviewing body camera footage from the incident, he believes criminal prosecution is not appropriate.

“In viewing this footage, it is clear to me that what Jabez needs is mental health treatment, not criminal prosecution from a district attorney, and we are talking about a family that is enduring the kind of pain that no family should and an individual that has lived with schizophrenia for many years,” Mamdani said during a news conference.

Mamdani said the incident highlights the need for alternatives to police response when individuals are experiencing mental health crises.

“A person experiencing a mental health episode does not always have to be served first or exclusively by a police officer. It is important for us to have all of the options available,” he added.

The mayor said he has since met with Chakraborty’s family, who criticized his initial response following the shooting.

Shortly after the incident, Mamdani released a statement saying police had “encountered an individual wielding a knife,” and that he was “grateful to the first responders who put themselves on the line each day to keep our communities safe.”

The family said that statement deepened their frustration.

“After all this, we saw Mayor Mamdani’s statement applauding the NYPD officers that shot our son, threatened and lied to us, and kept us from seeing our son for over 24 hours,” the family said.

“Why is the mayor applauding officers who recklessly almost killed our son in front of us?”

The NYPD has said the officers involved attempted to de-escalate the situation before firing their weapons and acted in response to an immediate threat.

The investigation by the Queens district attorney’s office remains ongoing as authorities review body camera footage, witness statements, and other evidence related to the shooting.