Heart-pounding bodycam footage captured the intense moment when an NYPD officer shot and wounded a 22-year-old mentally ill man who lunged at him with a knife inside a Queens home last week. The incident involving schizophrenic man Jabez Chakraborty on Jan. 26 has sparked criticism from his family and reignited Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s call for a Department of Community Safety to handle mental health crises.
The video, released by the NYPD, begins with a 911 call from a female relative requesting “involuntary transportation” for Chakraborty, who was reportedly throwing glass against the wall. The family member initially only asked for EMS, not police, recalling a previous incident where officers responded to a similar call involving Chakraborty, who has a history of mental health issues.
However, the operator explained that both the NYPD and FDNY usually respond to such cases. The footage then shows two officers, including Tyree White, arriving at the residence and being greeted by a woman who led them into the living room. Suddenly, Chakraborty grabbed a knife from the kitchen and advanced towards White, prompting the officer to repeatedly instruct him to drop the weapon.
Despite a female relative attempting to block Chakraborty with her arm, he continued to move forward with the knife. White eventually shot Chakraborty four times after he pushed through a door and approached the officer with the weapon. Chakraborty was taken to Jamaica University Hospital Medical Center where he was listed in stable condition.
The Police Benevolent Association President, Patrick Hendry, commended the officers for their professional and restrained response in a challenging situation. However, Chakraborty’s family criticized the officers for escalating the confrontation and called for the charges against him to be dropped.
Mayor Mamdani expressed his belief that Chakraborty should not face criminal charges, emphasizing the need for mental health treatment instead. He reiterated the importance of establishing a Department of Community Safety to provide a more appropriate response to mental health crises, focusing on prevention and sustained care rather than law enforcement intervention.
The incident has underscored the urgency of reforming the current response system for mental health emergencies, with a focus on de-escalation and specialized care. Mamdani’s proposal for a new department dedicated to community safety reflects a growing recognition of the need for alternative approaches to handling mental health crises.
