Man in critical condition after NYPD detective shoots him in Brooklyn, police say

A man is in critical condition at a Brooklyn hospital after he was shot by an NYPD detective during an altercation on Wednesday afternoon, police said.

At a press conference, NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny defended the detective’s actions, saying the detective was acting in self-defense as the man with a box cutter “was an immediate threat.”

The incident unfolded shortly before 2 p.m. when two plainclothes detectives driving an unmarked car spotted two men engaged in a verbal argument near Utica Avenue and Avenue K in the Flatlands neighborhood, police said.

Kenny said the confrontation began when one man threw an object at the other’s car, prompting the driver to exit and engage in a dispute. As the detectives attempted to break up the fight, they noticed one of the men was holding a box cutter, officials said.

“The detective then was forced to discharge one round from his firearm, striking the subject in his torso,” Kenny said. “The detective immediately requested response from EMS and additional officers. Uniformed officers responded to the scene quickly and performed first aid on the subject.”

Kenny said the man refused to comply with multiple orders to drop the weapon.

The man, whose name has not been released, has a history of mental illness and prior encounters with police, Kenny said.

He remained in critical condition at Kings County Hospital, officials said, while the detectives were transported to an area hospital for evaluation.

The NYPD is continuing to investigate the incident, officials said.

This is a developing story and may be updated.