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Allegedly Armed Man Killed By Police Officers Outside Gowanus Houses

Jake Offenhartz

Published Oct 16, 2019

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Jake Offenhartz

Published Oct 16, 2019

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A man was killed by NYPD officers on Tuesday night, following a shoot-out on Baltic Street outside the Gowanus Houses, police said.

According to preliminary information provided by the NYPD, two plainclothes officers were patrolling the Brooklyn housing project in an unmarked car when they witnessed a man firing a gun in someone else's direction.

"The officers immediately identified themselves as police and gave multiple orders to drop the weapon," NYPD Chief Terence Monahan said during a news briefing last night. "At this time, both officers fire numerous rounds at the man, who was struck several times."

The victim was transported to Brookdale Hospital at 8 p.m., and was pronounced dead about four hours later. The officers, who were uninjured, were also transported to a separate hospital for evaluation.

It does not appear that the person who was allegedly being shot at was struck. A 9-mm handgun was recovered from the scene, police said. There is no body camera footage of the incident, as the officers were not in uniform.

While police have not yet released the identity of the man, a family member told the Daily News that his name is Nasheem Prioleau. According to Monahan, he has an "extensive criminal record," including a violent felony conviction for attempted robbery in 2014. The family confirmed that he was released from prison a few days ago.

Others in the neighborhood defended Prioleau to the outlet. “He is a good guy," Shanduke McPhatter told the News. "His mother is hysterical. She works in the community. I watched him grow up. The family helps the community. They mediate conflicts.”

The Gowanus Houses were also the site of the 1994 shooting of Nicholas Heyward Jr., a 13-year-old-boy who was killed by a police officer while holding a toy gun. In the decades since, the community has come together annually to mourn the boy's passing and call attention to police brutality.

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police involved shooting

Gowanus

nypd

Gowanus Houses

police

police shooting

Jake Offenhartz

Jake Offenhartz is a former Gothamist reporter.

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations

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