New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani speaks during a press conference in New York City, U.S. December 9, 2025. REUTERS/Kylie Cooper TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
(New York, New York) – New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is facing fierce backlash after saying the Queens District Attorney should not prosecute a mentally ill man who was shot by police after allegedly charging officers with a large kitchen knife.
The suspect, Jabez Chakraborty, 22, was shot on Jan. 26 after NYPD officers responded to a 911 call at a home on Parsons Boulevard in Briarwood, Queens. Police say Chakraborty was holding a knife, ignored repeated commands to drop it, and rushed toward officers before one officer opened fire.
According to New York City Police Department, officers attempted to de-escalate the situation by isolating Chakraborty behind a glass door and repeatedly ordering him to drop the weapon. Police say Chakraborty opened the door and advanced on them with the knife extended, forcing officers to respond.
After reviewing body-camera footage, Mamdani said the man should receive mental health treatment instead of criminal prosecution, even as prosecutors reportedly consider potential attempted-murder charges.
“In viewing this footage, it is clear to me that what Jabez needs is mental health treatment, not criminal prosecution,” Mamdani said at a Tuesday press conference, adding that Chakraborty has lived with schizophrenia for years.
The mayor’s remarks come as the suspect’s family accused police of using excessive force, claiming they had requested medical responders rather than law enforcement. Police say officers did not draw their weapons until Chakraborty brandished the knife and charged.
Officers immediately rendered first aid after the shooting and rushed Chakraborty to a hospital, where he remains in critical but stable condition.
Mamdani also used the incident to renew calls for alternatives to police response in mental-health emergencies, arguing that individuals in crisis should not always be met first by law enforcement — a position critics say puts officers and the public at greater risk.
