New York police officers shot dead a knife-wielding man they were chasing Saturday afternoon near crowded Times Square.
Police said the man, whom they observed smoking marijuana, became belligerent when officers approached him. He threatened officers with a large knife, police said.
A witness’s cell phone video acquired by NBCNewYork.com shows police chasing the man along 7th Avenue and then opening fire, shooting approximately 10 rounds.
The man had no identification on him, officials said.
No officers were injured in the incident, which took place over several blocks and ended with the shooting at 38th Street and 7th Avenue, an area generally crowded with pedestrians.
Witnesses described a chaotic scene.
“I was standing at the corner of 42nd Street and saw this guy running in the middle of the street, police chasing him,” said Edgar Delgado, who works in the area. “He had a machete type knife. He didn’t want to stop. Police told him to drop the knife. He didn’t. They shot him.”
“This is a crowded area. Lot of people walking around here,” Delgado said. “It was scary because a shooting starts here someone could get hurt quickly.”
