The NYPD released late Tuesday evening the body camera footage from the controversial Queens police shooting last month of a knife-wielding man in mental distress, placing further scrutiny on the role of cops in psychiatric emergencies.
NYPD
The NYPD released late Tuesday evening the body camera footage from the controversial Queens police shooting last month of a knife-wielding man in mental distress, placing further scrutiny on the role of cops in psychiatric emergencies.
The full video shows two officers from the 107th Precinct arriving at the Briarwood home of Jabez Chakraborty around 10:25 a.m. on Jan. 25. Chakraborty’s mother greeted them at the door and let them inside when Jabez appeared from the kitchen in the rear of the residence, brandishing a knife.
The footage then shows the cops retreat into the entranceway while issuing verbal demands that he drop the weapon. Jabez Chakraborty’s mother attempted to wrestle the knife out of his hands, but Jabez broke free and marched toward them.
One officer slammed the living room door shut, but seconds later, Jabez Chakraborty tried to open it. That led one of the responding officers, identified as Tyree White, to open fire several times, striking Jabez multiple times and causing him to collapse.
“It’s a tragedy, it’s horrible, but the officers had to protect themselves,” one law enforcement source said of the video.
Chakraborty was rushed to Jamaica Hospital, where he underwent emergency surgery and remains hospitalized in critical condition.
Family believes Queens police shooting did not have to happen
The footage then shows the cops retreat into the entranceway while demanding him to drop the weapon.NYPD
Following the shooting, the family released a statement through South Asian immigrant advocacy group Desis Rising Up and Moving (DRUM), charging that they did not call 911 for police but instead for an ambulance.
“We called 911 for an ambulance to provide medical attention for our son, who was in emotional distress. We did not call the police. Instead of medical responders, the NYPD arrived and shot our son multiple times right in front of us,” part of the statement read. “After shooting our son, the NYPD demanded we give them our phones and passwords, threatening us to comply.”
Several others, including Mayor Zohran Mamdani, also weighed in on the controversy. The New York City Democratic Socialists of America released a statement demanding that Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz drop all criminal charges against Chakraborty be dropped, something Hizzoner echoed.
“What Jabez needs is mental health treatment, not criminal prosecution by a district attorney,” Mamdani said, calling the shooting a stark example of the city’s failure to respond appropriately to psychiatric emergencies. This came after the mayor himself was admonished by the family for immediately thanking the NYPD for their efforts following the incident. He has since met with the family at the hospital.
amNewYork reached out to the Queens DA’s office for comment, and is awaiting a response.
Jabez Chakraborty was shot at his Briarwood, Queens home last Monday, Jan. 26, after his family called 911 seeking an ambulance for their son, who they say was in emotional distress.Photo Provided by Chakraborty Family
During a press conference in the hours following the shooting, Assistant Chief Chris McIntosh said cops were called to the home because Chakraborty suffered a mental health crisis and was throwing glass against the wall. McIntosh described the cops as trying to de-escalate the situation; however, while the video shows police calling for him to put down the knife, things played out in a matter of seconds.
Police Benevolent Association President Patrick Hendry, the leader of the union representing the 21,000+ police officers, stated the officers had no time to de-escalate — something which, he believes, the bodycam video confirms.
“The video makes it clear that these police officers walked into an unpredictable, fast-moving and dangerous situation. There was no time or space for them to de-escalate the situation before they were forced to act. They did their job professionally and with restraint under terrible circumstances,” Hendry said.
Police say prosecutors will continue to investigate and analyze this incident, and conduct more interviews and forensic tests. 
Police shot and injured a knife-wielding man in Queens on Jan. 25, 2026.Photo by Dean Moses