Police in East Harlem shot and killed a gunman on Sunday morning who allegedly refused multiple orders to drop his weapon, authorities confirmed.
According to NYPD Chief of Housing Martine Materasso, officers from Police Service Area 5 received several 911 calls of an armed individual at around 12:30 a.m. on Aug. 25 at the corner of East 103 Street and 3rd Avenue, near the Washington Houses public housing complex. The location is in the 23rd Precinct‘s confines.
At the same location, police also received from the same area a ShotSpotter activation; ShotSpotter is the NYPD’s citywide network of sensors designed to detect possible sounds of gunfire and evoke a rapid response.
Two members of Police Service Area 5 arrived at the location and found a 62-year-old man armed with a handgun.
“The officers gave numerous commands verbally, to drop the gun, which the male did not comply,” Chief Materasso said. “The two officers discharged their firearms, striking the male.”
Police sources say the suspect was struck in the torso, causing him to fall to the ground and drop the weapon. One of the cops called EMS while the other performed CPR, according to the chief.
Responding EMS units rushed the wounded man to Harlem Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
The NYPD has yet to release the dead man’s identity. Chief Materasso noted that the gun he allegedly brandished was recovered at the scene. It remains unclear whether the man had fired the weapon, but police believe no one else was harmed.
Police said the incident is still under investigation.
