Police Shoot Knife-Wielding Man Dead in Brooklyn Apartment Standoff
A tragic incident unfolded on a Brooklyn street on Friday when police shot and killed a man who allegedly charged at them with a knife. The chaos erupted at 478 East 21st St. in Flatbush around 5:20 p.m. on Sept. 13, as members of the NYPD Warrant Squad entered a home where the knife-wielding man, identified as 38-year-old Vilmond Jean Baptiste, confronted them.
Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey reported that the police had been searching for Baptiste after he was named a person of interest in several unsolved homicides over the summer. Baptiste refused to comply with the officers and instead barricaded himself in the bathroom’s tub.
According to Chief Maddrey, the officers repeatedly instructed Baptiste to show his hands and exit the tub. However, when they realized he was armed with a knife, they attempted to use a taser on him, which was unsuccessful. Baptiste then allegedly charged at the officers, prompting them to shoot him multiple times. He was later pronounced dead at a hospital.
Details of the Fatal Standoff
Deputy Commissioner of Operations Kaz Daughtry revealed that during the confrontation, the commanding officer on the scene tried to use a taser on Baptiste. When the taser failed to work, the commanding officer was almost stabbed by Baptiste, leading the officers to resort to deadly force to subdue him.
Amid the chaos, law enforcement sources reported that locals began throwing objects at the officers from surrounding apartments, injuring one officer in the head. At least one arrest was made in connection with the incident.
Baptiste, who had a prior arrest in 2015 for reckless endangerment and an active bench warrant, was suspected of being involved in three fatal stabbings in Brooklyn earlier in the year. Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny stated that Baptiste’s modus operandi involved dating older women who would allow him to stay in their homes to use narcotics.
Community Response and Ongoing Investigation
As the investigation into the police-involved shooting continues, authorities urged the public to avoid the area. The incident occurred shortly after the resignation of Edward Caban as NYPD commissioner amid a federal investigation. Mayor Eric Adams swiftly appointed Tom Donlin as the interim commissioner in response to the shakeup.
The tragic events in Brooklyn serve as a reminder of the challenges faced by law enforcement officers in handling dangerous situations. The NYPD continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding the fatal standoff, while the community grapples with the aftermath of the incident.
