East Harlem police shooting: Suspect shot in butt after lunging at officer with knife

EAST HARLEM, Manhattan (WABC) — Police shot a man in the buttocks after they say he tried to stab a group of people in East Harlem.

It happened shortly after 5:30 p.m. Saturday on 102nd Street and 3rd Avenue. According to authorities, a man entered a police station to inform police that the suspect was armed with a knife and was trying to stab people.

Officers crossed the street and saw the armed man running, attempting to stab a victim.

“The situation was extremely chaotic and fast-paced. The officers gave numerous verbal commands to the man to drop the knife,” said New York Police Deputy Chief Ruel Stephenson.

The suspect continued to lunge at the victim and officers continued to order him to drop the knife.

The man then lunged at a second officer. This officer deployed a Taser which hit the man, but was ineffective. As the officer fired the Taser, the man pointed the knife at the officer, missing his face by inches.

The other officer then fired his firearm, striking the 36-year-old man in the buttocks.

The suspect was then taken into custody and transported to hospital where he is in stable condition.

A knife was found on site.

No other injuries were reported.

At a news conference, officers did not release the 36-year-old's name, but said he had two mental health issues with police last month.

Deputy Chief Stephenson says they are still investigating what led to this wild encounter that could have ended tragically.

“What we know is there was an argument with this man and we believe there are four other individuals,” he said.

Police described the incident as “chaotic and fast-paced”: only 34 seconds passed between when officers first saw the man brandishing the knife and when the single shot was fired .

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