NYPD Releases Footage of Fatal Shooting of 22-Year-Old Man in Mental Health Crisis
The New York City Police Department (NYPD) on Tuesday released body-camera footage from the fatal shooting of Jabez Chakraborty, a 22-year-old man who was in a mental health crisis. The incident occurred at Chakraborty's home in Briarwood, Queens, where police were called after a neighbor reported a man breaking glass.
The video shows officers entering the home, where Chakraborty appears to be helping his family in the kitchen. However, when he sees the officers, he picks up a knife and moves towards them, ignoring calls from his family to stop. The situation escalates rapidly, with Chakraborty evading attempts by family members to block him and continuing to move towards the police.
The police responded by shouting commands for Chakraborty to drop the knife, but he continued to advance on them. In a split second, an officer fired four shots, striking Chakraborty multiple times. The video does not show any questioning by the police after the shooting.
Chakraborty was taken to a hospital and underwent multiple surgeries before being placed on a ventilator. His family had initially requested medical transport, but instead, the police responded, leading to widespread criticism of the department's actions.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani has expedited the release of the footage, stating that Chakraborty was diagnosed with schizophrenia and should have received mental health support rather than a police response. The mayor also expressed concerns about the treatment of Chakraborty's family after the incident, including searches of their phones.
The NYPD has maintained that the family's request for an involuntary removal automatically triggered a police response, but this claim has been disputed by many experts and advocates. The department has denied asking immigration-related questions to Chakraborty's family, although this has not been confirmed.
Critics have drawn parallels between this incident and the fatal shooting of 19-year-old Win Rozario in March 2024, who was killed by NYPD officers responding to a mental health call. Similarities include the use of force by police, the lack of de-escalation techniques, and the failure to provide alternative support services.
The release of the footage has sparked renewed calls for accountability from law enforcement officials and advocates for mental health reform. The City Hall is conducting an investigation into the use of force, but it remains unclear whether the NYPD will face any disciplinary action in response to the incident.
The New York City Police Department (NYPD) on Tuesday released body-camera footage from the fatal shooting of Jabez Chakraborty, a 22-year-old man who was in a mental health crisis. The incident occurred at Chakraborty's home in Briarwood, Queens, where police were called after a neighbor reported a man breaking glass.
The video shows officers entering the home, where Chakraborty appears to be helping his family in the kitchen. However, when he sees the officers, he picks up a knife and moves towards them, ignoring calls from his family to stop. The situation escalates rapidly, with Chakraborty evading attempts by family members to block him and continuing to move towards the police.
The police responded by shouting commands for Chakraborty to drop the knife, but he continued to advance on them. In a split second, an officer fired four shots, striking Chakraborty multiple times. The video does not show any questioning by the police after the shooting.
Chakraborty was taken to a hospital and underwent multiple surgeries before being placed on a ventilator. His family had initially requested medical transport, but instead, the police responded, leading to widespread criticism of the department's actions.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani has expedited the release of the footage, stating that Chakraborty was diagnosed with schizophrenia and should have received mental health support rather than a police response. The mayor also expressed concerns about the treatment of Chakraborty's family after the incident, including searches of their phones.
The NYPD has maintained that the family's request for an involuntary removal automatically triggered a police response, but this claim has been disputed by many experts and advocates. The department has denied asking immigration-related questions to Chakraborty's family, although this has not been confirmed.
Critics have drawn parallels between this incident and the fatal shooting of 19-year-old Win Rozario in March 2024, who was killed by NYPD officers responding to a mental health call. Similarities include the use of force by police, the lack of de-escalation techniques, and the failure to provide alternative support services.
The release of the footage has sparked renewed calls for accountability from law enforcement officials and advocates for mental health reform. The City Hall is conducting an investigation into the use of force, but it remains unclear whether the NYPD will face any disciplinary action in response to the incident.
The footage is pretty shocking, I mean it looks like the situation escalated so quickly and no one seemed to think of a better way to handle it. And what's up with the lack of de-escalation techniques? I'm not saying he had the right to carry a knife or anything, but the police could've just called for backup or tried to talk him down or something.
That just feels like another layer of trauma on top of what happened. I don't think it's fair that they're being blamed for his actions when they're just trying to help him.
. I don't think the police had to shoot him straight away... like, what if he'd just dropped the knife? 
His family was trying to help him, not hurt him 
. And now his family's phone has been searched by the police? That's a whole other level of messed up 
. I don't think this is an isolated incident either... have we seen similar cases where the police just went full force without any warning signs or attempts to de-escalate? 
. i feel bad for jabez's family they're goin thru a lot right now. i think the police department needs to re-think their approach when dealin with mental health crises like this... all these incidents are bringin up serious questions about de-escalation techniques and support services 
. maybe they could've called a crisis team or somethin instead of sendin in armed cops 
they should've had better support at home instead of involving the police in the first place. mental health crisis shouldn't turn into a fatal shooting 
and the fact that the police didn't even try to talk to chakraborty after the shooting is just heartbreaking 
and now his fam is getting harassed by the cops asking for their phones? no wonder people are mad. shouldn't we be trying to support ppl in crisis instead of putting more stress on them? 
. i also think the NYPD is trying to spin this too much, they're not taking full responsibility for their actions and that's not gonna cut it 
. what's most concerning is that chakraborty was diagnosed with schizophrenia and his family was already in a mental health crisis, so they definitely needed help, not police 
. we should be looking into how to prevent these kinds of incidents from happening again 
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! I mean, who needs four shots when you could've talked him down with de-escalation techniques? 
Mental health support should be a priority over police intervention #JusticeForJabez #MentalHealthMatters #PoliceReformNow
! The NYPD needs to get its act together and prioritize community safety over officer safety 
That's unacceptable 
! We need to make sure that families in crisis aren't further traumatized by law enforcement 
. Both cases highlight the need for better training on de-escalation techniques & alternative support services 
. In the US, the number of people experiencing a mental health crisis has increased by 65% between 2013 & 2020 
. This is why we need more resources for mental health support services rather than relying on law enforcement in crisis situations 
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️. Four shots, like, what even is that? 
Can't imagine how traumatic that must've been for his family and friends. Mental health support should always be the priority, especially when someone's having a crisis 
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. We need more support for mental health and less fear of being shot by law enforcement 
. And, omg, what about his family? They're already dealing with so much trauma... searches of their phones? Unbelievable 
️. We need better training for police officers on how to handle mental health crises 
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. And what's even more infuriating is the NYPD's attempt to downplay this incident, saying it was an "automatic response" because of a family request 
. We need to hold our law enforcement accountable for their actions, and we need to make sure that families like Chakraborty's receive the support they need, not just police presence 
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. it makes me think about all the times when people are in crisis mode, don't have the emotional strength to ask for help, and somehow the system fails them... we gotta do better here as a society, invest in mental health services and training for our first responders so these situations can be handled with more care & compassion