The New York Police Department on Tuesday released body-camera footage showing a Queens police officer shooting a knife-wielding man during what officials described as a fast-moving encounter involving a mental health crisis.
The man, Jabez Chakraborty, 22, was shot multiple times Jan. 26 after officers from the 107th Precinct responded to a 911 call at his family’s home on Parsons Boulevard in the Briarwood section of Queens at about 10:25 a.m., police said.
The footage shows Officer Tyree White and his partner entering the residence after being greeted by a woman. As Mr. White passes through a glass-paned door separating the vestibule from the living room, Mr. Chakraborty grabs a large kitchen knife and advances toward the officers.
Mr. Chakraborty’s mother attempts to restrain him while shouting, “Baba! Baba, no! no!” He breaks free and continues toward the officers while holding the knife.
Mr. White retreats into the vestibule and closes the door while repeatedly ordering Mr. Chakraborty to drop the weapon. The video shows Mr. Chakraborty forcing his way through the door, at which point Mr. White fires four shots. Mr. Chakraborty collapses onto a couch. The entire encounter lasts approximately one minute.
Officers then provided first aid, including applying a tourniquet to stop the bleeding. Mr. Chakraborty was taken to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, where he remains in critical but stable condition, according to police.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani said the incident underscores the need for expanded mental health services and urged Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz not to pursue criminal charges against Mr. Chakraborty.
“In viewing this footage, it is clear to me that what Jabez needs is mental health treatment, not criminal prosecution,” Mr. Mamdani said Tuesday, noting that Mr. Chakraborty has a history of schizophrenia.
The mayor said he visited Mr. Chakraborty in the hospital and met with his family over the weekend. He also renewed calls for establishing a Department of Community Safety, a proposal aimed at creating a mental health response system separate from traditional police operations.
Mr. Chakraborty’s family criticized the police response, saying they called 911 seeking medical assistance, not law enforcement.
“We called 911 for an ambulance to provide medical attention for our son, who was in emotional distress. We did not call the police,” the family said in a statement reported by NepYork.
In a separate statement released Wednesday, the family said officers escalated the situation and noted that Mr. Chakraborty had been calmly eating shortly before police arrived.
The NYPD also released the 911 call, in which a family member requested “involuntary transportation” for Mr. Chakraborty via ambulance. Police officials said such requests automatically require a police response in addition to emergency medical services.
Mr. White joined the department in January 2023 and has no disciplinary history, police said. Patrick Hendry, president of the Police Benevolent Association, defended the officers’ actions, saying they entered an “unpredictable, fast-moving and dangerous situation” with limited opportunity to de-escalate.
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