Officers outdoors the Chakraborty household dwelling on Jan. 26 following the capturing of 22-year-old Jabez
Photograph by Dean Moses/ Chakraborty Household
Mayor Zohran Mamdani mentioned {that a} 22-year-old Bangladeshi man shot a number of occasions by NYPD officers in Queens final week throughout a psychological well being disaster wants therapy, not felony prices, as the town ready to launch body-worn digicam footage from the incident.
Talking at a press convention on the Decrease East Aspect, Mamdani mentioned he had seen the footage himself after assembly with the Chakraborty household and visiting Jabez Chakraborty within the hospital, the place the younger man stays in essential situation. The NYPD is predicted to launch the video to the general public on Tuesday.
“What Jabez needs is mental health treatment, not criminal prosecution by a district attorney,” Mamdani mentioned, calling the capturing a stark instance of the town’s failure to reply appropriately to psychiatric emergencies.
Chakraborty was shot at his Briarwood, Queens dwelling final Monday, Jan. 26, after his household known as 911 looking for an ambulance for his or her son, who they are saying was in emotional misery. As a substitute of medical responders, NYPD officers arrived and, moments later, shot him in entrance of relations, in keeping with an announcement launched by Desis Rising Up & Transferring (DRUM), a South Asian immigrant advocacy group.
The household’s assertion describes a collection of alleged abuses following the capturing — together with officers demanding their telephones and passwords, questioning them about their immigration standing, stopping them from accompanying their son to the hospital, and detaining them at a precinct whereas their son lay critically injured.
Jabez Chakraborty was shot at his Briarwood, Queens dwelling final Monday, Jan. 26, after his household known as 911 looking for an ambulance for his or her son, who they are saying was in emotional misery.Photograph Offered by Chakraborty Household
The household additionally criticized Mamdani’s preliminary response to the incident. In a Jan. 26 social media submit, the mayor mentioned he was “grateful to the first responders who put themselves on the line each day to keep our communities safe,” language the household described as applauding officers who “recklessly almost killed our son.”
Requested Tuesday whether or not he regretted that assertion, Mamdani didn’t straight handle the wording however mentioned his duty as mayor is to replace the general public as extra info turns into obtainable. After assembly the household and reviewing the footage, he mentioned, it was clear to him that the state of affairs ought to by no means have been handled as a felony matter.
An NYPD investigation into the capturing stays ongoing.
Incident demonstrates want for Division of Group Security, Mamdani says
Mayor Mamdani, talking at a press convention on the Decrease East Aspect, mentioned he had seen the physique cam footage himself after assembly with the Chakraborty household and visiting Jabez Chakraborty within the hospitalPhoto by Lloyd Mitchell
The mayor repeatedly pointed to the incident as proof of the necessity for his proposed Division of Group Security, a plan that may shift many psychological well being disaster calls away from police and towards groups led by clinicians and behavioral well being specialists.
Below questioning, Mamdani mentioned the administration is exploring “co-response models” involving psychological well being professionals, peer counselors, and law enforcement officials, whereas emphasizing that NYPD would nonetheless reply to violent conditions, together with these involving weapons.
Metropolis Council laws to determine the Division of Group Security was launched in December by Brooklyn Council Member Lincoln Restler and has greater than a dozen co-sponsors. Mamdani mentioned he helps the invoice and can also be in search of methods to speed up implementation outdoors the legislative course of.
Mamdani mentioned the present response system will not be setting our metropolis up for fulfillment. “An individual experiencing a psychological well being episode doesn’t at all times have to be served first — or solely — by a police officer, he mentioned.
The Chakraborty household has demanded that Queens District Lawyer Melinda Katz decline to convey prices towards their son and reply why police, reasonably than EMTs, have been dispatched to their dwelling.
NYPD model of occasions
The incident occurred at a house on the 8400 block of Parsons Boulevard in Hillcrest, inside the 107th Precinct’s confines, at about 10:25 a.m. on Jan. 26.
Throughout a press briefing following the incident, Assistant Chief Chris McIntosh recounted {that a} member of the family known as police after the 22-year-old man started throwing glass towards a wall throughout a psychological well being episode. When the 2 officers arrived on the scene, they got entry by the 911 caller.
“The male was in the kitchen when the officers arrived. Upon seeing the officer, the male retrieved a large kitchen knife and began to advance toward the officers,” Chief McIntosh mentioned. “A family member attempted to restrain the male, but was unsuccessful, and the male continued to advance toward officers.”
Outdoors the house, discarded medical provides could possibly be noticed atop an NYPD car, from the place one eyewitness mentioned the person was rushed from the house on a stretcher. Photograph by Dean Moses
Authorities say the cops demanded the person drop the weapon, however he didn’t heed their instructions. To create area between them, one of many officers closed a glass door. Nonetheless, he allegedly burst via it and lunged at them.
“Officers issued several warnings to drop the knife and attempted to de-escalate the situation. The armed male was able to push through the closed door and continue to advance to our officers with the kitchen knife in hand,” McIntosh mentioned. “At this point, officers discharged their weapon.”
Police acknowledged on the time that the 22-year-old had a historical past of psychological sickness, however wouldn’t elaborate additional. Mayor Mamdani confirmed Tuesday that Chakraborty has “lived with schizophrenia for many years.”
