Anthony Yates
An off-duty NYPD officer reportedly shot a man who pointed a realistic-looking imitation gun at them. He died from his injuries.
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NYPD Assistant Chief Melissa Eger outlined details about the incident in a news conference. Eger explains that at roughly 8:02 PM on Friday, authorities received a 911 call reporting a man with a gun toward the back of Andrews Diner on Hyland Blvd, Staten Island. Eger clarified, “The 911 caller stated that there was a male behind the diner with a firearm. He subsequently left the diner.” Around the same time, the NYPD also advised people to stay away from the area on X, owing to police activity.
The Assistant Police Chief revealed that an off-duty officer was nearby. They reportedly observed the same man holding a firearm. The officer notified a colleague who was also off-duty, and they both confronted him. “The officers gave multiple verbal commands for the male to remove his hands from the firearm and to put the firearm down,” Eger said.
The Man Reportedly Pointed His Gun At The Off-Duty Officers
Melissa Eger explains that the man did not comply with the off-duty officer’s instructions. He reportedly pointed the fake gun at them instead, and one officer discharged their weapon, striking him while he was still holding it. Authorities recovered the man’s weapon at the scene, where they discovered it was an imitation. The police department also shared an image of the gun on social media. It’s black and gunmetal colored with black tape around the grip. There doesn’t appear to be anything on it to suggest that it cannot shoot.
Eger claims the incident was recorded by security cameras nearby. The off-duty officers “performed life-saving measures at the scene” and authorities transported the man to Staten Island University North Hospital. Authorities pronounced him deceased shortly after his arrival.
“Our officers were confronted with a dangerous and unpredictable situation,” Eger explained. “And they attempted to de-escalate the situation multiple times,” she added. The incident is now under investigation. The Assistant Chief also answered a question from a reporter, revealing that the man has a “documented criminal history in New York.”
