NEW YORK (1010 WINS) – Police officers responding to a report of a stolen AC unit shot and wounded a man who came at them with a knife in his hand at a Bronx apartment building on Sunday evening, the NYPD said.
Police believe the man who was shot is the same man who initially called 911 to report someone was stealing the AC unit from his second-floor window at 335 West 148th St. in Mott Haven.
Two female officers responded to the call around 5:40 p.m. and went up to the second floor but couldn't locate the caller, police said.
Police initially responded to a report of a stolen AC unit but encountered a man with a knife.Citizen App
They then encountered a 32-year-old man, who was walking up the stairs and towards them with a knife in his right hand, according to police.
"One officer game the male verbal commands, telling him to 'wait, wait, wait,' and also telling him to 'drop it, drop it," NYPD Deputy Chief Rohan Griffith said.
When he didn't comply, one of the officers shot him once in the torso. The other officer did not discharge her weapon.
The man, who hasn't been identified, was transported to NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln in stable condition.
Police released an image of the knife the man allegedly had in his hand.NYPD
Police are reviewing surveillance video to determine exactly what happened. It's unclear why the man didn't follow the officer's commands—police said there may have been a language barrier—or if there was even someone stealing the AC unit to begin with.
"At this time, believe that the male with the knife was actually the 911 caller," Griffith said. "After calling 911, the male exited the building and confronted a male that was in the side courtyard of that building. The 911 caller then reentered, started to run up the stairs right at the officers with a knife in his right hand."
The shooting came a couple days after police shot and wounded a man who allegedly pointed a gun at a sergeant in Brooklyn on Friday night.
