On Sunday, chaos erupted at the Sutter Avenue L train station in Brownsville, Brooklyn, when a routine fare evasion turned violent. NYPD officers opened fire, injuring four individuals, including a bystander who remains in critical condition.
At around 3 p.m., officers spotted 37-year-old Derell Mickles bypassing the subway fare. When officers approached, Mickles refused to stop, leading them on a chase up three flights of stairs to the platform.
NYPD Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey described how the confrontation escalated. “At one point on the platform, the suspect said, ‘I’m going to kill you if you don’t stop following me,’” Maddrey stated during a press conference.
Mickles allegedly brandished a knife and dared the officers to shoot him. “The suspect challenged the officers, saying, ‘No, you’re going to have to shoot me,’” Maddrey added. The officers then followed Mickles onto an L train, where they attempted to subdue him with Tasers. The Tasers, however, proved ineffective.
Shots Fired by NYPD, Bystander Injured
As the situation moved back to the platform, Mickles reportedly drew a knife, prompting officers to fire multiple rounds. Mickles was struck in the stomach, and officers quickly handcuffed him while rendering medical aid. During the chaos, a 49-year-old bystander was hit in the head and is now in critical condition.
“Everyone who was struck this afternoon, we believe, was hit by our officers,” Maddrey confirmed. Alongside Mickles and the bystander, a 26-year-old woman and one of the responding officers were also injured.
The NYPD’s Detective Squad and Force Investigation Division are now investigating the incident. This marks the second recent case where Tasers failed to stop a suspect, raising concerns about the equipment’s effectiveness in high-stress situations.
The full extent of the bystander’s injuries remains unknown, but the incident has sparked a debate about the use of force in non-violent crimes like fare evasion.