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Police shoot and kill 19-year-old in Queens who called police for mental help, NYPD says
By
Charles Lane
and
Bahar Ostadan
Published Mar 27, 2024
Modified Mar 28, 2024
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José A. Alvarado Jr./Gothamist
By
Charles Lane
and
Bahar Ostadan
Published Mar 27, 2024
Modified Mar 28, 2024
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Police shot and killed a 19-year-old in his family’s Queens home on Wednesday afternoon after he called 911 while in a “mental crisis,” according to NYPD officials.
Win Rozario was standing in the kitchen beside his mother when officers responded to the 911 call at their second-floor home in Ozone Park at around 1:40 p.m., police said. Officials said officers arrived within two minutes of Rozario’s call.
“Our officers attempted to take the individual into custody and get him help,” NYPD Chief of Patrol John Chell said at a news conference outside the home on Monday.
Rozario then pulled a pair of scissors out of a drawer, police said, and officers used a Taser on him. Rozario's mother then came to help her son and “accidentally knocked the Tasers out of his body,” Chell said. The teen picked up the scissors again and “came at” police, at which point “the officers had no choice but to defend themselves,” Chell said.
The officers shot and killed Rozario, who was pronounced dead at a local hospital, authorities said.
When asked by a reporter, Chell said specialized officers trained in mental crisis response were not called to the scene.
“It was chaotic and fast-moving,” Chell said. “It’s a sad event all the way around.”
The shooting was captured on body-worn camera footage and is under investigation by the NYPD, authorities said.
In a statement, advocacy group Communities United for Police Reform spokesperson Loyda Colon said Rozario should be still be alive.
"His mother should not have had to watch him die," the statement said. "And while there can never be justice for the killing of this young person, there can be accountability. We can prevent future loss of life at the hands of the NYPD. "
Correction: Due to inaccurate information initially provided by the NYPD, the spelling of the victim's name has been updated.
Tagged
queens
public safety
Charles Lane
Charles is a Day-of reporter focused on breaking news and enterprise. He’s very friendly and can be reached at [email protected], or more securely on whatsapp/signal 631-295-6715
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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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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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