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4 hurt — including bystander shot in the head — after NYPD opens fire in Brooklyn subway station
By
Catalina Gonella
,
Bahar Ostadan
and
Brittany Kriegstein
Published Sep 15, 2024
Modified Sep 16, 2024
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Courtesy Benny Polatseck/Mayoral Photography Office
By
Catalina Gonella
,
Bahar Ostadan
and
Brittany Kriegstein
Published Sep 15, 2024
Modified Sep 16, 2024
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Police shot at a man they say evaded the subway fare at the Sutter Avenue L train station in Brownsville on Sunday afternoon, injuring him along with an officer and two others, according to the NYPD. One bystander was struck in the head and listed in critical condition, police said.
NYPD Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey said on Sunday that officers were patrolling the station shortly after 3 p.m. when they observed a 37-year-old man enter the station without paying the fare. The officers followed the man — later identified by a police spokesperson as Derell Mickles — up three flights of stairs, leading to a confrontation. The altercation resulted in injuries to the officer, Mickles and two civilians — a 49-year-old man and a 26-year-old woman, officials said.
Police said the 49-year-old man was struck in the head and in critical condition on Sunday evening, while the officer and 26-year-old woman were reported to be in stable condition. Police described Mickles as in stable condition on Sunday, but on Monday morning said he was in critical condition. Mickles' mother said on Monday morning that she first learned her son had been shot from a Gothamist reporter.
Maddrey said that in Sunday's incident, Mickles threatened the officers when they asked him to stop.
“At one point on the platform, the suspect said, ‘I'm going to kill you if you don't stop following me,’” Maddrey said at a press conference later Sunday evening.
The officers instructed Mickles to remove his hands from his pockets, suspecting he had a knife, but he refused, Maddrey said.
“The suspect challenged the officers, saying, ‘No, you're going to have to shoot me,’” Maddrey said.
When a train entered the station, Mickles boarded, and the officers followed, according to the NYPD. They attempted to use their Tasers, but these attempts were “ineffective,” Maddrey said. The suspect exited the train and returned to the platform, where he drew a knife, according to Maddrey.
At that point, the officers fired multiple rounds, hitting Mickles in the stomach, police said. After he fell to the ground, the officers handcuffed him and began “life-saving measures,” according to Maddrey. That’s when one officer discovered a bullet wound near their left armpit, Maddrey said.
The officers and several bystanders on the platform were injured, Maddrey said. Additional officers arrived and began administering aid, he said.
Maddrey said that the shots fired were believed to have come solely from NYPD officers.
“Everyone who was struck this afternoon, we believe, was hit by our officers,” Maddrey said.
Witness video obtained by Gothamist from adjunct lecturer at John Jay College of Criminal Justice and former NYPD officer Jillian Snider captures a chaotic scene on the subway platform as people try to get away from the area. It shows a bloodied man lying on the floor of a subway car with his hands handcuffed behind his back. Three officers are seen hurrying to the next car, where another person is face down on the floor.
A second video shows officers aiding the same man on the floor of a subway car, when one officer reaches for his armpit and holds his hand there.
This marks the second NYPD shooting since Friday where Tasers proved ineffective. On Friday evening, police shot and killed a man inside a Brooklyn apartment. Authorities said they were seeking him in connection with three recent homicides.
The NYPD’s Detective Squad and its Force Investigation Division will investigate the incident, Maddrey said.
This story has been updated to identify the suspect in the subway shooting, and to list his condition as of Monday morning. This story has also been updated to correct the spelling of his name, after police initially provided an incorrect spelling.
Tagged
subway shooting
public safety
brooklyn
Catalina Gonella
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Bahar Ostadan
Bahar Ostadan covers the NYPD and public safety. Got a tip? Email [email protected] or message Bahar on Signal at 646-740-7335.
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Brittany Kriegstein
Brittany Kriegstein covers all breaking news around New York City, with a focus on crime and gun violence. Got a tip? Email Brittany at [email protected].
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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