Police shot and killed a 44-year-old man who allegedly brandished a gun at them inside a Mott Haven apartment building on Thursday morning.
The shooting happened inside of 105 Willis Ave. at around 6:45 a.m. on April 2, as members of the NYPD Fugitive Enforcement Unit went to arrest Lucien Colón, who police officials had several outstanding warrants.
Deputy Chief John Wilson, commanding officer of the Fugitive Enforcement Unit, told reporters at a press conference inside the 40th Precinct stationhouse that Colón had a parole warrant and bench warrant for failing to register as a level three New York State sex offender.
In outlining the preliminary details of the investigation, police said that officers had arrived that morning to visit the apartment where they believed Colón would be located; an unidentified woman let them in to search the premises. Officers then found Colón sitting on a bed with what appeared to be a gun in his hand.
When commanded to show his hands, Colón said multiple times, “I have a gun,” and when ordered to get up, Colón repeatedly said, “It’s not gonna happen,” according to Wilson.
He said officers attempted to de-escalate and give commands for about 90 seconds, after which one officer fired one shot, which Wilson said appeared to hit Colón in the face.
Officers called an ambulance, and Colón was taken to Lincoln Hospital, where he died. The officers involved were checked out at the hospital, and Wilson reported no injuries.
“The officers showed extreme restraint and truly attempted to de-escalate the situation,” Wilson said.
He said the investigation will determine whether the firearm recovered at the scene was a real gun, a BB gun or something else.
According to Wilson, the incident was captured on body-worn cameras. “You can’t see it very clearly on the body cams,” but the audio of Colón saying he had a weapon is clear, Wilson said. An investigation is in process.
Wilson said that Colón was on parole for a 2013 murder after being released in 2023 and that he was also arrested for attempted murder in 1995 and rape in 1997.
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