Protests erupt after NYPD shooting leaves two bystanders injured while chasing knife-wielding man

() – New Yorkers took to the streets in protest this week when the New York Police Department (NYPD) released body camera footage of a police shooting involving a knife-wielding subway fare evader, sparking strong public criticism.

Four people were shot in Sunday’s incident that began when a man jumped a subway turnstile, evading the $2.90 fare, in front of two transit patrol officers guarding the Brooklyn subway entrance.

Police say the two officers chased Derrell Mickles, 37, onto the subway platform, where they then confronted the knife-wielding man and repeatedly ordered him to drop it. The interaction later escalated after Mickles refused to comply.

In body camera and surveillance video of the incident, edited and released by the NYPD on Friday, a man, identified by police as Mickles, is seen entering a subway car arriving at the station during the confrontation in an apparent attempt to evade police. Officers unsuccessfully deploy their stun guns before chasing him onto the subway platform.

After a brief chase along the subway platform, Mickles finds himself cornered, flanked by two officers. He stops abruptly, and then the video shows the officers firing their weapons multiple times in his direction, causing Mickles to collapse on the subway car.

Police say officers only fired their weapons after Mickles attacked them.

“Officers attempted to de-escalate the situation by asking the suspect to drop the knife over 30 times and deployed Tasers three times, all to no avail,” NYPD Deputy Commissioner of Operations Kaz Daughtry said in a social media post.

Two bystanders and an officer were also hit by gunfire in the incident, according to police, who said one of those bystanders was hit by a stray bullet in the head.

Mickles was arrested and charged with aggravated assault on a police officer with a deadly weapon, among other charges. He was arraigned Friday and pleaded not guilty.

has reached out to an attorney representing Mickles for comment.

“This incident was not about fare evasion,” NYPD Chief of Patrol John Chell stressed to reporters at a news conference Wednesday. “This incident was about a person under mental stress armed with a deadly weapon and protecting our officers and citizens on that train.”

Public defenders and New York City residents protesting excessive use of force by police disagree.

New York City public advocacy group Legal Aid Society is expressing concerns about the surveillance and body camera footage, saying it “does not capture the full extent of the NYPD’s chaos” and “completely contradicts the department’s claim that (Derrell) Mickles ‘attacked’ one of the officers.”

“As the video clearly shows, Mr. Mickles was standing still when NYPD personnel discharged their firearms at him,” Legal Aid’s statement said.