NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani met with a knife-wielding assailant’s family and publicly called for mental health treatment over criminal prosecution, sparking outrage among law enforcement advocates who say the bodycam footage clearly shows an officer defending his life.
Officer Forced Into Split-Second Decision During Mental Health Call
Officer Tyree White and his partner responded to a 911 call at approximately 10:25 a.m. on January 26 in Briarwood, Queens, where family members reported Jabez Chakraborty experiencing a mental health crisis. The bodycam footage released by NYPD on February 3 shows Chakraborty grabbing a kitchen knife from the home and advancing toward officers despite a family member attempting to intervene. White retreated to a vestibule and closed a door, but Chakraborty forced it open while still armed. The officer fired four shots in rapid succession. Officers immediately provided medical aid and applied a tourniquet before Chakraborty was transported to the hospital.
Mayor’s Troubling Reversal Undermines Police Authority
Mayor Mamdani initially praised the officers’ response immediately after the shooting on January 26. However, following backlash from Chakraborty’s family, Mamdani reversed course and met with them in early February. During a February 3 press conference, the mayor declared that “Jabez needs mental health treatment, not prosecution,” directly inserting himself into what should be an independent criminal justice process. This represents a troubling precedent where elected officials pressure law enforcement to ignore violent criminal behavior based on political considerations rather than facts. The Queens District Attorney is investigating potential attempted murder charges against Chakraborty, while the state Attorney General reviews the officer-involved shooting per standard protocol.
Police Union Defends Officer’s Justified Response
Police Benevolent Association President Patrick Hendry forcefully defended Officer White, stating the bodycam footage proves officers faced a “fast-moving danger” with no realistic opportunity for extended de-escalation. Hendry emphasized that officers demonstrated professionalism and restraint in an unpredictable, life-threatening situation that unfolded within approximately sixty seconds in a confined space. NYPD Assistant Chief Chris McIntosh confirmed officers attempted verbal de-escalation before the shooting and immediately rendered aid afterward. Officer White joined the NYPD in January 2023 and maintains a clean disciplinary record. The family’s claim that Chakraborty was “calmly eating” before officers arrived contradicts the 911 call reporting him throwing glass during a mental health episode.
Incident Exposes Dangerous Gap in Mental Health Crisis Response
The shooting highlights a systemic failure in how New York City handles psychiatric emergencies. The family specifically called 911 requesting Emergency Medical Services for a mental health crisis, yet police officers trained for law enforcement were dispatched instead. Chakraborty, diagnosed with long-term schizophrenia, remains hospitalized in critical but stable condition following multiple surgeries and remains on a ventilator. This case raises legitimate questions about whether specialized mental health professionals should respond to such calls rather than armed police officers. However, this systemic gap does not justify Mayor Mamdani’s interference in prosecutorial decisions or his apparent willingness to excuse violent behavior that endangered officers’ lives simply because the perpetrator suffers from mental illness.
Dangerous Precedent Threatens Officer Safety and Rule of Law
Mayor Mamdani’s public campaign against potential criminal charges sets a dangerous precedent that could embolden violent individuals and undermine officers’ ability to defend themselves. When elected officials signal that attacking police with deadly weapons will not result in prosecution if the attacker claims mental health issues, they essentially create a protected class of assailants. Officer White faced an immediate, deadly threat in a confined space with no escape route and no time to wait for mental health specialists. The bodycam footage demonstrates textbook self-defense, yet political pressure now threatens to redefine justified force as excessive simply to appease progressive activists. This case perfectly illustrates how leftist policies prioritize criminals over law-abiding citizens and the officers who protect them, creating chaos that law enforcement must navigate while politicians second-guess every split-second decision.
Sources:
Bodycam shows NYPD officer shooting knife-wielding man as Mamdani calls for no charges – Fox News
BWC: Man charges NYPD officers with kitchen knife before OIS – Police1
Body camera footage shows shooting of man by NYPD officer – CBS News
Mamdani shifts tone on NYPD shooting – Politico