NYPD officers fatally shoot man armed with knife in Lower East Side incident

NYPD officers fatally shot a 54-year-old man on Sunday afternoon after he reportedly advanced toward them with a large butcher knife inside a Lower East Side apartment building. The incident occurred shortly after 4 p.m. at 126 Ludlow Street, where officers were responding to multiple 911 calls about an ongoing assault. Upon entering the building, officers discovered a trail of blood leading up a staircase, according to NYPD Assistant Chief Melissa Eger. As they ascended the stairs, they encountered Wei Chan, who was armed with the knife. Officers commanded him to show his hands and drop the weapon, but he continued to advance toward them. The officers then discharged their firearms, striking Chan, who was subsequently taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. Eger noted that Chan had no known criminal history but did have a documented mental health history. Additionally, officers found Chan's 75-year-old father, Cheung Chan, with a head laceration, which he sustained before police arrived. He was also hospitalized but is expected to survive. The responding officers were evaluated at a hospital as well. Mayor Zohran Mamdani stated that an internal investigation will be conducted regarding the incident, and body-worn camera footage will be released.