A knife-wielding maniac was shot dead by police on Roosevelt Island Friday night after he swung the weapon at officers inside an apartment building elevator, according to police.
The shooting in the typically quiet neighborhood unfolded after police responded to 540 Main Street for multiple 911 calls from the man’s relatives who said he was threatening them with a knife, Deputy Chief Christine Bastedenbeck told reporters.
Four officers initially arrived at the scene, and three of them got into one of the building’s two elevators while another propped open the lobby door, anticipating backup, said Bastedenbeck.
Suddenly, the armed suspect emerged from the second elevator and charged at the officer in the doorway, swinging a knife at him, police said. The officer fled outside.
“The suspect then charged towards the elevator occupied by our officers still armed with the knife,” Bastedenbeck said.
The three officers tried to deploy a Taser and then shot the unhinged 21-year-old man.
He was taken by EMS to a local hospital where he died from his wounds, according to the NYPD.
The suspect’s relative told police the man was off his medication and under the influence of marijuana, said Bastedenbeck.
A Post reporter who was walking her dog on the sidewalk outside the building at the time heard at least five gunshots.
A number of uniformed officers were seen running outside of the residential building before several shots were heard being fired into the lobby, the Post reporter observed.
Within roughly two minutes, NYPD vehicles started flying across the bridge, according to the reporter.
A witness told The Post they saw police coming out of the building in body armor.
Three ambulances and dozens of police cruisers were outside of the building after the shooting.
