A man armed with a kitchen knife, described by the NYPD as being in his thirties and Black, has died after he was shot by police officers during an incident inside a 7-Eleven convenience store in the Throggs Neck section of The Bronx.

 

NYPD Assistant Chief Benjamin Gurley, commanding officer of Patrol Borough Bronx, described how the incident unfolded during a press conference held at the 45th Precinct stationhouse on Friday evening, Sept. 8, a few hours after the shooting occurred.

 

Prefacing that the information provided was preliminary and subject to change, Gurley said, “Today, at approximately 2:30 p.m., uniformed police officers from the 45th precinct, here in Throggs Neck, responded to requests for help from a walk-in complainant at the 45 stationhouse.”

The commanding officer continued, saying, “The sequence of events, as we know it, is as follows. Today, at approximately 2:10 p.m., two employees were working at a convenience store located at 3508 East Tremont [Avenue]. A male entered the convenience store and walked around for approximately 20 minutes. The man repeatedly walked from the back of the store to the front of the store to the counter and back to back again, to the rear of the store, and to the counter every time a customer left the location.”

 

Gurley went on to say, “At this time, one of the employees from inside the store exited the store to meet with a relative. When the employee returned, the male was then observed behind the counter with another employee, and that employee looked very nervous. The employee that was still outside that observed this immediately walked over to the 45th Precinct and alerted stationhouse security standing outside of what she had just observed.”

He added, “Both officers then walked over to the convenience store with the employee. The officers entered the store and based on the description they were given, they observed the male in the rear by the coffee machines. As the officers approached, one officer gave several commands to the male inside the location to take his hands out of his sweatshirt pocket.”

 

Gurley continued, “As the officer gave those commands, that male then advanced on the officer revealing a knife in his hand. That male advancing down on the officer produced a kitchen knife and began to lunge at the officer that was giving him verbal commands. That officer then removed his firearm attempted to retreat backwards and he fired his firearm one time, striking the male in the torso. Both officers then immediately rendered first aid.”

 

He concluded, “They call for EMS and the perpetrator was removed to Jacobi Hospital, where he was pronounced deceased at 3:14 p.m. The officers were then removed to a local area hospital, and this whole scenario was put together by body-worn camera, video at the location and witness accounts.”

 

Referring to a photo displayed to reporters, he then said, “On the scene, we recovered a large kitchen knife that you see here.”

 

Asked by a reporter if the dead man was known to the store employees/police, Gurley said, “This is, I believe, the first time one of the employees has seen him but he has had police contact before.”

Some other question were inaudible. The commanding officer was heard replying, “We’ll talk to you offline after.” Asked if any words were exchanged during the incident, Gurley replied, “No words exchanged.”

 

In response to another inaudible question, he added, “Yeah, interestingly, one of our officers is an EMT and had gauze and had medical supplies on them, so immediately they got on the ground and they attempted to save this person’s life.”

Another reporter said, “You said the officer started to retreat as he pulled out his firearm. Was the suspect still lunging at him as he was retreating?” Gurley replied, “Yes, he was.”

 

When asked for a description of the victim, Gurley responded, “A male, Black, in his thirties.” He added, “He lives in the Bronx.”

 

In response to another question from reporters, Gurley said, “Yes, he did have that knife out prior to the officers entering. He was behind the counter with the officer, and he did have that knife as he was removing products from behind the counter.”

As reported, on Friday evening, Sept. 8, Hawk Newsome of Black Lives Matter of Greater NY was arrested outside Grand Central Station on 42nd Street at Lexington Avenue in Manhattan, following a protest during which a group of about ten to 15 BLM members called for AG Letitia James to bring murder charges against NYPD Sgt. Erik Duran with Bronx Narcotics, after he threw a water cooler at Bronx man Eric Duprey during a police operation at 2505 Aqueduct Avenue in the Fordham Manor section of The Bronx on Aug 23, and the latter died. [Check our Facebook page to view two videos of Newsome’s arrest.]