Vos Iz NeiasNYPD Shooting of Mentally Ill Man Fuels Mamdani Push for Mental Health Response
NEW YORK (VINnews) — Bodycam footage shows the moment an NYPD officer shot and wounded 22-year-old Jabez Chakraborty, a man with a history of mental illness, after he lunged with a knife inside a Queens home on Jan. 26. The shooting has intensified calls from Mayor Zohran Mamdani for a new approach to mental health crises in the city.
The incident began when a relative called 911 requesting an “involuntary transport” for Chakraborty, who officials said had been hurling glass and acting erratically. The NYPD said officers must respond alongside EMS, which cannot perform involuntary transports. Footage shows officers arriving at the home, where a relative attempted to block Chakraborty with her body as he advanced with a knife.
Officer Tyree White fired four shots after Chakraborty pushed through a door and continued toward him. He was taken to Jamaica University Hospital Medical Center and listed in stable condition. Police union leaders defended the officers, saying they acted professionally in a fast-moving, dangerous situation.
The family criticized the response, arguing the officers escalated the situation and called for mental health professionals rather than police to respond to such crises. “Within a minute of NYPD’s arrival, Jabez was shot multiple times and almost killed, while he was calmly eating food just minutes earlier,” the family said in a statement. They also urged the Queens district attorney to drop charges against their son.
Mayor Mamdani said Chakraborty should not face criminal charges, calling the incident an example of the urgent need for a different mental health response system. “What Jabez needs is mental health treatment, not criminal prosecution from a district attorney,” Mamdani said at a press conference. He highlighted his plan to create a Department of Community Safety, aimed at building a mental health system rooted in prevention, sustained care, and real-time crisis response so officers are not left to handle these situations alone.
The shooting comes amid growing concern over how law enforcement handles mental health emergencies. Advocates have repeatedly called for alternative response teams staffed by trained clinicians, citing repeated incidents in which police involvement escalates crises.
“This case underscores the gaps in our current system,” Mamdani said. “Too often, families are forced to call law enforcement when what they really need is medical care. We need a citywide system where no one is left at risk because the right professionals weren’t available.”
The NYPD has launched an internal review of the shooting. Meanwhile, the bodycam footage has sparked renewed debate over the city’s approach to mental health calls, as well as broader discussions about police reform and community safety.