Protests erupt after NYPD shooting of man armed with knife that also injured 2 bystanders

By Artemis Moshtaghian, CNN

Brooklyn, New York (CNN) — New Yorkers took to the streets in protest this week as the NYPD released body camera footage of a police shooting involving a subway fare-evader armed with a knife that drew heavy public criticism.

Four people were shot in the Sunday incident that started when a man jumped the subway turnstile – evading the $2.90 fare – in front of two transit patrol officers standing guard of the Brooklyn subway entry point.

Police say the two officers chased Derrell Mickles, 37, onto the subway platform, where they then confronted the knife-wielding man and repeatedly ordered him to drop his knife before the interaction escalated when Mickles refused to comply.

In bodycam and surveillance video of the incident edited and released by the NYPD Friday, a man, identified by police as Mickles, is seen entering a subway train car that pulls into the station during the confrontation in an apparent attempt to evade police. The officers unsuccessfully deploy their tasers before chasing him back onto the subway platform.

After a brief pursuit along the subway platform, Mickles finds himself cornered, flanked by two officers. He abruptly halts, and then video shows the officers discharging their weapons multiple times in his direction, causing Mickles to collapse into the subway car.

Police say officers only fired their weapons after Mickles charged at them.

“Officers attempted to de-escalate the situation by asking the suspect to drop the knife over 30 times and deployed tasers three times, all without success,” NYPD Deputy Commissioner of Operations Kaz Daughtry said in a post on social media.

Two bystanders and an officer were also struck by gunfire in the incident, according to police, who said one of those bystanders was struck by a stray bullet in the head.

Mickles was arrested and charged with aggravated assault on a police officer with a deadly weapon, among other charges. He was arraigned Friday and pleaded not guilty.

CNN has reached out to an attorney representing Mickles for comment.

Not about fare evasion, police say

“This incident was not about fare evasion,” NYPD Chief of Patrol John Chell emphasized to reporters at a news conference Wednesday. “This incident was about a person in mental stress armed with a deadly weapon and protecting our cops and citizens on that train.”

Public advocates and New York City residents protesting against the police’s excessive use of force don’t agree.

New York City public advocacy group Legal Aid Society takes concern with the surveillance and body-worn camera footage, saying it “fails to capture the entire NYPD melee” and it “completely contradicts the Department’s claim that (Derrell) Mickles ‘charged’ at one of the officers.”

“As the video clearly shows, Mr. Mickles was standing still when NYPD personnel unloaded their firearms at him,” the statement from Legal Aid reads.

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