Brooklyn subway shooting: Protests erupt after police officer shoots knife-wielding man, also injuring two bystanders

Brooklyn, New York
CNN
—

New Yorkers took to the streets this week to protest the police’s release of body camera footage of a shooting involving a knife-wielding subway fare evader, which has drawn fierce public criticism.

Four people were shot and wounded in Sunday’s incident that began when a man jumped the subway turnstile – avoiding the $2.90 fare – in front of two transit patrol officers standing guard at the Brooklyn subway entry point.

Police said the two officers chased Derrell Mickles, 37, onto the subway platform, where they then confronted the knife-wielding man and repeatedly ordered him to drop his knife before the interaction escalated when Mickles refused to comply.

In surveillance and body camera video of the incident, edited and released Friday by the NYPD, a man, identified by police as Mickles, is seen entering a subway car as it enters the station during the confrontation, in an apparent attempt to evade police. Officers unsuccessfully deploy their Tasers before chasing him onto the subway platform.

After a brief chase along the subway platform, Mickles finds himself cornered, flanked by two police officers. He stops abruptly, and then a video shows the officers discharging their weapons repeatedly in his direction, causing Mickles to collapse into the subway car.

Police said the officers only fired their weapons after Mickles charged them.

“Officers attempted to de-escalate the situation by asking the suspect to drop the knife over 30 times and deployed Tasers three times, all to no avail,” NYPD Deputy Commissioner of Operations Kaz Daughtry said in a social media post.

Two bystanders and a police officer were also hit by gunfire during the incident, according to police, who said one of the bystanders was hit in the head by a stray bullet.

Mickles was arrested and charged with aggravated assault on a police officer with a deadly weapon, among other charges. He was arraigned Friday and has pleaded not guilty.

CNN has reached out to an attorney representing Mickles for comment.

“This incident was not related to fare fraud,” NYPD Chief of Patrol John Chell told reporters at a news conference Wednesday. “This incident involved an individual in mental distress armed with a deadly weapon protecting our officers and the citizens on that train.”

Human rights activists and New York residents protesting excessive use of force by police disagree.

The New York City-based human rights group Legal Aid Society is concerned about the surveillance and body camera footage, saying it “fails to capture the entire NYPD melee” and “completely contradicts the department’s claim that (Derrell) Mickles ‘charged’ one of the officers.”

“As the video clearly shows, Mr. Mickles was motionless when NYPD personnel discharged their firearms at him,” Legal Aid’s statement reads.