NYPD Officers Fatally Shoot Knife-Wielding Man on Brooklyn Bridge

New York City police fatally shot a man who was walking on the cables of the Brooklyn Bridge while holding a knife, after he ignored repeated orders to disarm, authorities confirmed on Friday. The incident shut down the iconic bridge and disrupted morning traffic.

The man had reportedly told the police rescue team that he wanted officers to kill him and claimed to have a bomb, according to Gerard Dowling, commanding officer of the city's Emergency Services Unit. Officers, who had secured themselves with safety harnesses, spent roughly an hour speaking with the man, urging him to come down safely and repeatedly instructing him to drop the knife.

At one point, the man began descending a cable quickly, moving toward a line of officers positioned below him. As the officers retreated, the man closed the distance and came within three feet of one officer, raising his arm with the knife extended. An officer stationed on the bridge's roadbed then fired a single shot, striking the man. Officers brought him down and began medical aid, but he was pronounced dead at a hospital.

Police body cameras recorded the encounter. Dowling emphasized that the Emergency Services Unit is specially trained for high-risk situations, with extensive instruction in de-escalation and compassionate engagement. A knife and a flashlight were recovered at the scene; the investigation into the bomb claim is ongoing.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani said officers responded to a 911 call about a man who appeared to be attempting to jump. He noted that the man threatened officers and moved toward them before the shooting.

The incident comes just days after a woman randomly stabbed two people in Times Square, killing one, before being fatally shot by officers. In that case, police said the woman refused to drop her knives and advanced on officers after a Taser failed to subdue her.