Cops shot a crazed man chasing people with a knife in Manhattan Saturday after a taser failed to take him down, according to police.
A sergeant shot the 36-year-old suspect in the butt after he swung the knife at another officer’s face, missing her by “mere inches,” NYPD Assistant Chief Ruel Stevenson told reporters.
A local resident walked into the 23rd precinct on 102nd Street in East Harlem around 5:30 and told cops stationed there that there was an “irate” man outside attacking people with a knife.
“A uniformed sergeant and two police officers exited the precinct to provide assistance. The officers crossed the street and saw the male armed with a knife running and attempting to stab a victim,” Stevenson said.
The man ignored the officers’ numerous commands to drop the knife and continued chasing the victim.
He lunged at an officer with the knife in the street and then ran after the victim again, police said.
As cops pursued, the man lunged at a second officer, who deployed a taser that struck him but was “ineffective,” Stevenson said.
The suspect then swung the knife at the officer, barely missing her face.
The sergeant, seeing the officer in danger, then discharged one round which struck the man in the butt.
The entire “chaotic and fast” encounter lasted just 34 seconds, police said.
No civilians were injured.
The 36-year-old suspect was detained and taken to Mount Sinai Morningside Hospital in stable condition.
A gun was recovered from the scene. Charges are still pending at this time.
The suspect had gotten into a dispute with four other individuals on the street before he became violent, cops said.
The incident was captured on police body cam footage and security cameras.
Stevenson said the man is known to the police department and has a history of mental illness.
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He had two encounters with police in May — one of which was violent — where he was removed and evaluated at an area hospital both times.
The three police officers involved were also taken to a local hospital for evaluation, police said.
Local resident Pai-Chun Ma, 68, said he saw a police officer holding a gun and yelling something at the suspect before he opened fire.
“I suddenly heard a loud gunshot,” he told The Post.
“People around here were just like sh-t — it was an actual gunshot,” Ma added.
After the shot, more cops from the precinct ran over to assist, he said.
