NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — The 65-year-old man fatally shot by police Thursday on the Belt Parkway after he rammed into a cruiser that attempted to pull him over for speeding has reportedly been identified as Brian Astarita.
Sources told NBC 4 that Astarita, from Brooklyn, had six prior arrests — most recently for aggravated unlicensed operation of a vehicle.
Chief Rodney Harrison said Thursday night in a news conference the incident began in the vicinity of the Bay 8th Street exit at around 4 p.m. after the suspect was stopped by a NYPD highway officer for speeding in his gray Jeep Cherokee.
When the officer approached the vehicle, he sped away, and continued traveling eastbound, Harrison added. The officer followed the car and positioned her unmarked car in front of the Jeep.
The chief said the man then rammed into the officer's car in the vicinity of the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge and sped off on the Belt Parkway without stopping.
After requesting backup, an additional highway unit pulled the vehicle over and once the vehicle was stopped, Harrison said the man got out of the vehicle and advanced toward the officers with a gun.
The officers got out of their vehicles and "gave numerous verbal commands" to drop the gun, but he continued to advance toward them. Harrison said officers then fired multiple shots, striking him several times.
They rendered aid and EMS took him to Lutheran Hospital where was pronounced dead.
Harrison called the situation "dangerous," but said it's ultimately the NYPD's job to protect people.
"It was it's a dangerous situation, but it's what we do in the New York City Police Department," he told reporters. "We protect people. But those that choose to carry guns, we hold them accountable. Unfortunately, there happened to be a negative ending, but we did what we had to do to stop the threat."
Video from the Citizen app Thursday showed traffic at a standstill.
Armed Man Fatally Shot by Officers After Pursuit @CitizenApp
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