The shootout in Staten Island occurred after a man who was being treated by EMS tried escaping and swinging a metal bar on police.
After receiving the 911 call from the neighbors, around 22:30 hours on the counts of loud noises and disturbances, the officers arrived at the location to check on the issue at hand.
On locating the person and seeing him behave erratically at his residence and on talking to him for while, officers were able to escort him to the ambulance, the Emergency Medical Technicians started attending to him, said McEvoy.
McEvoy said, at this point, he left the ambulance pushing the officers in his way and retreated back to his residence.
He picked up a two-and-a-half-foot (0.75 meters) metal pipe and started swinging on the police officers who followed him. In this situation, one officer fired back and hit the man in his torso.
The ambulance rushed the man to Staten Island University Hospital where he is being treated.
Deputy Chief Charles McEvoy told the reporters, "the man was undergoing surgery early Saturday and was in stable condition".
The names of the man or the officers were not released until now. No camera or video of the encounter has been made public so far.
Also, the officers involved in the incident were taken to the hospital for treatment and further evaluation.
This incident also recalls how, New York, similar to few other cities has been contemplating in recent years on how to respond to emergency calls and attend to people in distress. A test program that began last month in parts of northern Manhattan sends EMTs and social workers, instead of officers, to some calls, though police still respond to those involving a weapon or “imminent risk of harm.”
This is original content from NewsBreak’s Creator Program. Join today to publish and share your own content.