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NYPD officers fatally shoot 62-year-old man outside East Harlem NYCHA building
By
Ramsey Khalifeh
and
Brittany Kriegstein
Published Aug 25, 2024
Modified Aug 26, 2024
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NYPD
By
Ramsey Khalifeh
and
Brittany Kriegstein
Published Aug 25, 2024
Modified Aug 26, 2024
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Police officers shot and killed a man who was carrying a gun outside a NYCHA complex in East Harlem early on Sunday, according to NYPD officials.
NYPD Chief of Housing Martine Materasso said the department received several calls about a man brandishing a gun outside the Washington Houses near East 103rd Street and Third Avenue around 12:30 a.m. When officers arrived, Materasso said the man refused to drop his weapon
“The officers gave numerous commands verbally to drop the gun, which the male did not comply,” Materasso said at a news conference outside the NYCHA complex early on Sunday morning. “The two officers discharged their firearms, striking the male.”
Police officials identified the man on Monday as 62-year-old Mark Kelly. After the shooting, he was taken to a local hospital and pronounced dead.
A gun was retrieved at the scene and an investigation into the incident is ongoing, the NYPD said.
Officials said Kelly lived about 10 blocks south of the Washington Houses but they were still not sure why he was at the complex. He was not related to any gang or crew activity and had not been on the NYPD’s radar for serious mental health issues, they said.
Police also said several concerned residents had called 911 after seeing Kelly brandish a gun. It’s unclear if he fired it before officers arrived.
Kelly's building neighbor Bruce Ross said he knew him in passing as “not a happy guy.”
“The other day I heard him being a little bit angry behind his door,” Ross said. He added that Kelly had expressed some passionate political views.
A family member of Kelly’s who was reached by phone on Monday said she did not want to talk about him.
The incident brings the number of people shot and killed by NYPD officers so far this year to at least 10, according to data compiled by Gothamist.
In May, police officers shot and killed a 33-year-old man in East Flatbush after they said he was spotted pointing a gun at another man. That same month, officers shot and killed a 26-year-old man in mental distress who NYPD officials said lunged at officers with a pair of knives after he was tasered by the police.
This story has been updated with additional information.
Tagged
east harlem
new york city
public safety
manhattan
nypd
Ramsey Khalifeh
Ramsey Khalifeh is a transportation reporter on the NYC Accountability desk covering the largest transit system in the country. He was previously a general assignment reporter at Gothamist and worked on the Boston Globe's metro and copy desk. Got a tip? Email [email protected]
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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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