A knife-wielding schizophrenic lunged at NYPD officers despite eight drop commands, yet NYC’s mayor demands his release over prosecution.
Story Snapshot
- 22-year-old Jabez Chakraborty, diagnosed with schizophrenia, charged family with a kitchen knife during a crisis in Queens.
- Officers shot him four times after he advanced, bodycam capturing the ignored warnings.
- Mayor Zohran Mamdani shifted from praising police to urging dropped charges and mental health care.
- Grand jury indicted him on attempted assault despite injuries and mayoral pressure.
- Prosecutors prioritize evidence and officer safety, aligning with common sense accountability.
Incident Unfolds in Briarwood Home
Jabez Chakraborty’s sister dialed 911 on January 26, 2026, in Briarwood, Queens, seeking involuntary mental health transport for her 22-year-old brother amid a schizophrenic episode. He had lunged at family members with a kitchen knife. NYPD officers entered the residence and repeatedly ordered him to drop the weapon at least eight times. Chakraborty grabbed the knife, flipped its grip, and pushed through a door barrier toward them. An officer fired four shots, striking his abdomen, chest, and groin.
Chakraborty collapsed critically wounded and required a ventilator at Jamaica Hospital. Diagnosed with schizophrenia two years earlier, he survived but faced immediate scrutiny. Family members, who initiated the call, later accused officers of aggression, comparing them to ICE tactics despite their own peril from the knife attack.
Mayor’s Evolving Stance Sparks Tension
Mayor Zohran Mamdani first praised first responders on social media post-shooting. He visited Chakraborty and family in late January, then shifted to questioning police protocols. Mamdani demanded prosecutors drop charges, remove handcuffs, and focus on treatment. At a February 3 press conference, he reiterated that Chakraborty should not face prosecution but receive mental health care. This stance pressures Queens DA Melinda Katz, an independently elected official.
Bodycam footage released February 4 confirmed officers followed training: multiple commands issued before shots fired. NYPD defended the response as protocol-compliant. Mamdani’s evolution from praise to criticism drew backlash, testing his progressive credentials. Common sense dictates officers acted to protect lives when verbal de-escalation failed against an armed advance.
Grand Jury Indictment Defies Political Pressure
On approximately February 13, a grand jury indicted Chakraborty on first-degree attempted assault and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon. Held on $50,000 bail in hospital ICU, he sobbed during bedside charge reading. DA Katz stressed he tried to attack an officer and ignored commands. A protection order for the family was denied. Defense attorneys decried charges as inhumane given his shredded body and illness.
Prosecution advances despite Mamdani’s pleas; Katz declined comment on the mayor. Chakraborty faces up to 15 years if convicted, his abdomen open with tubes. Facts from bodycam outweigh calls for leniency—officer safety and family-initiated 911 underscore accountability over unchecked compassion that endangers responders.
Broader Mental Health Crisis Debate Intensifies
NYC long relies on NYPD for mental health calls due to underfunded alternatives. Mamdani campaigned on prevention and compassion, backing expansions like B-HEARD non-police teams. This case highlights gaps in schizophrenia care, pitting reform against protocol. Short-term, it strains mayor-DA relations; long-term, bodycam precedent may bolster police defenses or spur funding shifts. Queens’ South Asian community alleges profiling, impacting NYPD morale.
Political fallout polarizes: progressives prioritize care, law enforcement officer safety. Evidence supports prosecution—knife advance threatened lives. American conservative values affirm rule of law prevails when bodycam irrefutably shows imminent danger, rejecting mayoral overreach into independent justice.
Sources:
Mamdani shifts tone on NYPD shooting
Queens man shot by NYPD during mental health call charged
NYC Mayor Mamdani urges dropping attempted murder charges in psychotic episode case


















