On Friday afternoon, hours after NYPD officers fatally shot two men in separate incidents in Brooklyn and Manhattan, Mayor Zohran Mamdani made public remarks about the events.
“Last night officers were put in a difficult and dangerous situation and I continue to appreciate the work that they do,” he said. “What we need to see now is the recognition of just how difficult and dangerous the situation was and the investigation that we know always comes as a result.”
What You Need To Know
On Friday afternoon, hours after NYPD officers fatally shot two men in separate incidents in Brooklyn and Manhattan, Mayor Zohran Mamdani made public remarks about the events
The shootings presented a major test of Mamdani’s attitude toward how police handle people suffering from mental health issues
Mamdani campaigned on the idea of having a dedicated unit for handling mental health crises called the Department of Community Safety
Mamdani also endorsed ally Claire Valdez for her run at New York’s Seventh Congressional District
Earlier in the day, Mamdani called the shootings “devastating” and “painful” on X, and said an internal investigation is underway.
The shootings presented a major test of Mamdani’s attitude toward how police handle people suffering from mental health issues.
Mamdani campaigned on the idea of having a dedicated unit for handling mental health crises called the Department of Community Safety. They would take those types of calls away from the police department.
“We continue to need an answer to the more than 200,000 mental health calls that the NYPD responds to and receives on an annual basis, and I continue to believe in the importance of having a mental health unit dedicated to the mental health crisis,” Mamdani said.
Police say the Brooklyn incident involved a man wielding a sharp object who barricaded himself in a hospital room after threatening others. Police say the Manhattan incident involved a 37-year-old man who pointed what appeared to be a firearm at police officers.
Mamdani refused to say whether the Department of Community Safety would’ve responded to Thursday night’s incidents.
“Those are hypotheticals that we will not engage in at this time,” he said.
Later in the day, the mayor waded into a different political arena.
“I need Claire Valdez as a partner in Congress, and our city needs someone with her organizing instincts and moral clarity to fight for a future where everyone can live with dignity. That’s why I’m proud to endorse Claire Valdez for Congress,” Mamdani said.
“On the heels of Zohran’s victory, we’re seeing people who are hungry for an affordability agenda. One that really reflects things that working people need and that takes on the corporate interests and the billionaires that have made our lives so hard to live,” Assemblywoman Claire Valdez said.
Valdez was elected into office in 2024. She was previously a union orgainzer with United Auto Workers Local 2110, who also endorsed her for New York’s Seventh Congressional District Friday.
Her opponent in the race is Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso.
Mamdani’s endorsement now puts him at odds with the progressive members of his party who have thrown their weight behind Reynoso.
“I have deep respect for all of our allies and I’m looking forward to winning a city that we all can afford,” Mamdani said.