NYPD officers fatally shoot man armed with butcher knife after he advanced toward cops: police

NYPD officers shot and killed a 54-year-old man after he lunged at them with a butcher knife inside a Lower East Side apartment building on Sunday, August 16, 2026. The incident occurred shortly after 4 p.m. at 126 Ludlow Street, where police responded to multiple 911 calls reporting an assault in progress. Upon entering the building, officers discovered a trail of blood leading up a staircase. As they ascended, they encountered the suspect, identified as Wei Chan, who was approaching them while wielding a large butcher knife. According to NYPD Assistant Chief Melissa Eger, officers issued repeated commands for Chan to show his hands and drop the weapon. Despite these orders, Chan continued advancing toward the officers. In response, the police opened fire, striking him. Chan was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Eger noted that Chan had no known criminal history with the department but did have a documented mental health history. During the encounter, officers also located Wei Chan’s 75-year-old father, Cheung Chan, who sustained a laceration to the head. Investigators indicated that Wei Chan had injured his father prior to the arrival of police. Cheung Chan was taken to the hospital and is expected to survive. It remains unclear whether the injury resulted from the knife or another object, according to reports from the New York Post. Several responding officers were treated for minor injuries and taken to NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, as stated by police and fire officials. A witness at a nearby bar reported seeing crews perform CPR on a man as they carried him out of the building on a stretcher and into an ambulance. The circumstances surrounding the shooting are currently under investigation. Mayor Zohran Mamdani confirmed that he had been briefed on the incident and that an internal review would take place. He emphasized that body-camera footage of the event would be made public as part of the inquiry. “As with every incident in which NYPD officers discharge their weapons, there will be an internal investigation,” Mamdani stated on X, adding that the footage would be released. The NYPD has not yet disclosed further details regarding the initial call for assistance or the specific sequence of events leading to the confrontation. However, both sources indicate that the incident began with multiple 911 calls reporting a domestic dispute, an assault, and the presence of a person armed with a weapon. Officers followed a blood trail up the stairwell, encountering the suspect mid-confrontation. In addition to the immediate aftermath, the incident highlights ongoing concerns about law enforcement interactions with individuals experiencing mental health challenges. While the exact nature of Chan’s mental health history remains undisclosed, the NYPD has acknowledged its relevance to the case. This underscores the complexities faced by officers in high-stress situations involving potentially volatile individuals. The shooting has sparked discussions about the protocols and training used in such encounters. While the department maintains that its actions were justified, the release of body-camera footage is expected to provide more clarity. Until then, the situation remains under scrutiny, with all parties committed to transparency and accountability.