Mayor Advocates for Mental Health Treatment in Police Shooting Case

Mayor Zoran Mamdani is urging the Queens District Attorney to refrain from prosecuting a man who was shot and killed by police in his home, emphasizing that the individual was mentally ill. This plea came just hours before the man was arrested from his hospital bed on Friday afternoon.

In conversations with reporters, Mamdani questioned the circumstances surrounding the January 26 incident involving 22-year-old Jabez Chakraborty, who allegedly threatened officers with a knife. “Mr. Jabez should not face charges,” the mayor stated during a press conference about public transit expansions.

“He should be free from handcuffs and given care during such troubling times,” he continued.

Though Mamdani has not spoken directly with Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz regarding this case, he expressed that “no family should endure such a tragedy.”

Initially, prosecutors intended to charge Chakraborty with attempted assault and weapon possession, but his first court appearance was delayed due to objections over a virtual hearing by his lawyer.

After reviewing arguments, Judge Jessica Earle-Gargan allowed the arraignment to proceed, and Chakraborty was emotional during the hearing from his hospital bed.

“This is a very difficult case,” the judge remarked.

Chakraborty was shot four times at his parents’ residence in Briarwood and is currently hospitalized in critical condition.

Regarding the incident, Prosecutor Katz mentioned that Chakraborty allegedly advanced toward an officer while wielding a knife and ignored repeated commands to drop the weapon. “The officer then discharged his firearm, hitting Mr. Jabez Chakraborty four times,” she explained.

Katz emphasized the need for careful consideration in cases involving mental health issues, noting that their office is committed to following the facts while being sensitive to these unique circumstances.

The New York Police Department recently released body camera footage of the event, along with a 911 call from a family member requesting non-police assistance for Chakraborty, who was seen acting erratically.

The family had expressed a preference for paramedics only, recalling a past incident when police advised them to contact an ambulance instead.

When law enforcement arrived, the woman greeted them at the door, but they followed her into the home. There, Chakraborty—characterized as having a “history of mental illness”—grabbed a kitchen knife and approached Officer Tyree White.

Body camera footage shows White repeatedly urging Chakraborty to put down the knife. Despite attempts to keep him at bay by closing the door, Chakraborty managed to push through and advance toward the officer, prompting White to discharge his weapon amidst the family’s distress.

Earlier this month, Mamdani reiterated that Chakraborty should not face criminal charges, advocating instead for mental health treatment.

The mayor pointed out that the shooting underscores the city’s pressing need for a revised mental health response system. “This is why I proposed establishing a community safety agency aimed at building a preventive and continuous mental health care system, allowing for better crisis management without putting police in such challenging situations,” he added.