NYPD Mental Health Transport Call Ends With Officer Shooting Knife-Armed Man

In an Active Self Protection video, hosts John Correia and Mike Willever break down body camera footage from Queens, New York, where NYPD officers sent to carry out a family's request for an involuntary transport of their adult son ended up shooting him.

Key points

• The call: The man has a long history of mental health crises, and the family had arranged involuntary transport for him before. Officers tried to engage him calmly, but he armed himself with a knife and advanced after repeated orders to drop it.
• The outcome: An officer fired multiple times, and the man was hospitalized in critical but stable condition. The family said this was not the outcome they wanted.
• Why police went: The hosts say unarmed crisis teams generally will not respond to, or will withdraw from, calls with any sign of violence, leaving police as the only option for forcible transports.
• The uniform as trigger: They note the scene stayed calm until the man registered a uniformed officer, and recommend treating every involuntary transport call as a potential flashpoint, with less-lethal options ready.
• The mother: When he picked up the knife, his mother wrapped her arms around him. The hosts ask viewers not to judge her harshly.

Quick take

Correia argues the shooting reflects a failure of mental health care infrastructure more than of law enforcement, a problem he says needs more investment and more humane options.

Watch the full video: Active Self Protection