Standoff at Brooklyn Methodist Hospital Ends with Fatal Shooting

Recently released body camera footage reveals a chaotic standoff at Brooklyn Methodist Hospital, where a 62-year-old man, wielding a makeshift knife, barricaded himself in a room with elderly patients and staff. The incident unfolded before law enforcement arrived and ultimately resulted in the man being shot dead.

The video, provided by the NYPD, shows officers outside a hospital room on January 8, urgently commanding patient Michael Lynch to drop a piece of the toilet he was using as a weapon. Reports indicate police were dispatched to the Park Slope Medical Center following numerous 911 calls around 5:30 p.m., including one that described Lynch as violent and suicidal.

During the urgent call, a hospital employee reported, “We have a patient who is suicidal. He’s actually hurting himself right now. We need police right away,” amid screams heard in the background.

Upon arriving, officers found Lynch—who had previously served as a police officer in New York City—inside a bloody room, accompanied by an elderly patient and a security guard. The officers aimed their weapons at Lynch, who was visibly injured, and repeatedly urged him to drop the improvised knife.

Moments later, as Lynch lunged at one officer, Officer Jason Lui shot once while two other officers deployed Tasers, but the footage reveals that the Tasers did not have any effect. Shortly after, Lynch continued advancing with the makeshift weapon, leading to Bradley and Louis firing three shots at him.

The situation escalated as Lynch, still holding the weapon, remained in the room. An officer shouted, “Shots fired,” as the standoff lasted about seven minutes. Lynch, whose clothing was stained with blood, was repeatedly told to drop his knife as the tension escalated. When the door to his room slammed shut, Officer Louis quickly reopened it.

The officers again used the Tasers but struggled to subdue him. Lynch moved forward with the homemade knife, resulting in officers firing additional shots. Eventually, he was shot and fell to the ground, still grasping the weapon.

Lynch was taken into custody and transported to the same hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. The harrowing series of events led to a lockdown of the hospital, and an investigation is underway to ascertain whether the police’s use of force was warranted as part of standard procedure.