Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Brooklyn man killed, cop wounded in brownstone shootout, NYPD commissioner says
By
Elizabeth Kim
Published Jun 19, 2026
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
NYPD
By
Elizabeth Kim
Published Jun 19, 2026
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Police fatally shot a Brooklyn man during a shootout Friday morning after he barricaded himself in Bedford-Stuyvesant brownstone and fired several rounds that wounded an NYPD officer, NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said.
The alleged gunman, Lamin Simmons, 48, died after being hospitalized, according to Tisch. The officer who was shot, Detective Matthew Gale of the emergency service unit, is in stable condition with an injured left leg.
Simmons’ wife and son told police he had a history of mental illness.
During a press conference, Tisch described a tense confrontation between police officers and Simmons inside a brownstone where multiple residents live. She said more than 20 rounds were fired by Simmons before the NYPD arrived at the scene.
Police officials said officers arrived at the home on Kosciusko Street between Marcy and Tompkins Avenues at around 5:46 a.m. after receiving a call from a neighbor who heard gunshots.
Tisch said the officers heard more gunshots when they arrived at the first floor apartment. She said they broke into the home, saw Simmons with a gun and then left the building to request additional support. During that time, Simmons’ wife and son escaped the home and spoke to the officers, Tisch said.
Tisch said a team of hostage negotiators tried to talk to Simmons. When they returned inside the building, police found him on the second floor where an elderly couple lives. Tisch alleged Simmons refused to drop his weapon, and started firing shots at the officers, at least one of which hit Gale in the leg. At least four officers opened fire on Simmons and killed him, according to Tisch.
An investigation is ongoing, but the police commissioner said officials believe the incident began as a dispute between Simmons and the elderly neighbors on the second floor.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who joined Tisch at the press conference, said he had visited the hospital and met with Gale’s wife. He expressed gratitude for his service.
Mamdani has called for reforming B-HEARD, a system that diverts some 911 calls to trained mental health professionals, but it is unclear when that program can be revamped. Only a small fraction of calls are eligible. Incidents involving violence and weapons do not qualify for B-HEARD.
The number of cases handled by B-HEARD have fallen over the year, although city agencies disagree on the extent of the decrease.
“When New Yorkers call 911 they expect someone to show up,” Mamdani said. “What this officer and so many others today did was exactly that.”
Tagged
brooklyn
public safety
Elizabeth Kim
Elizabeth Kim is a reporter on the People and Power desk who covers mayoral power. She previously covered the pandemic, housing, redevelopment and public spaces. A native of Queens, she speaks fluent Mandarin. Got a tip? Email [email protected]
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Dump truck driver hits and kills cyclist on 34th Street in Midtown, NYPD says
It's the latest in a string of hit-and-run deaths in the city in recent months.
By
Liam Quigley
Published Sep 28, 2026 at 4:15 p.m. ET
New ingredient mandated for Latin American kitchen, restaurant plates in NJ
The Garden State now requires that corn masa dough and flour made and sold in the state be fortified with folic acid.
By
Arya Sundaram
News
New ingredient mandated for Latin American kitchen, restaurant plates in NJ
The Garden State now requires that corn masa dough and flour made and sold in the state be fortified with folic acid.
By
Arya Sundaram
A Brooklyn jail cell filled with smoke. The emergency button failed, a lawyer said.
By
Samantha Max
Crews launch tunnel machines to dig first new Hudson River rail tunnels since 1910
By
Michael Sol Warren
NYC nor’easter dries up after weather service reports minor flooding
By
Ramsey Khalifeh
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .