An incident was caught on a body camera worn by police officers who responded to his family’s call for a mental health crisis in Queens last week, causing them to shoot 22-year-old Jabez Chakraborty.
What You Need To Know
An incident was caught on a body camera worn by police officers who responded to his family’s call for a mental health crisis in Queens last week, causing them to shoot 22-year-old Jabez Chakraborty
The video was released Tuesday afternoon in the wake of the Chakraborty family criticizing the city’s response
Jabez remains on a ventilator, according to his family, after being shot several times
The video was released Tuesday afternoon in the wake of the Chakraborty family criticizing the city’s response.
Jabez remains on a ventilator, according to his family, after being shot several times.
Earlier in the day, Mayor Zohran Mamdani delivered sobering words about the incident and how the city needs to change its response.
“Jabez needs mental health treatment, not criminal prosecution by a district attorney,” he said.
Mamdani has long championed a different response to how the city responds to a person in a mental health crisis, with plans for a Department of Community Safety.
However, he said he still believes police officers need to respond to dangerous situations.
“When there is a violent situation such as with a weapon, the NYPD will be on the scene,” the mayor said.
In the video released by the NYPD, you can see that officers are let into the home and immediately spot Chakraborty, who is in the kitchen. Chakraborty is seen grabbing a knife and moving toward the officers. The responding police officers attempted to move back and put a door between them and Chakraborty, but he pushed through. At that point, an officer is seen shooting him multiple times.
The Chakrabarty family has called the incident shocking and outrageous.
They claim they called for an ambulance, but police officers arrived instead. A spokesperson for the police department said the family called for an involuntary transfer and was aware that meant a police and EMS response.
In a Friday statement, the family said: “We did not call the police. Instead of medical responders, the NYPD arrived and shot our son multiple times right in front of us.”
Mamdani said he is currently working on how to implement his new agency, but that the safety of everyone involved in a mental health crisis call is the top priority.
“No family should have to endure this kind of pain. Jabez has lived with schizophrenia for many years, and this situation underscores just how urgently we need a different and more effective mental health response,” he said.