Mayor Mamdani Calls for Mental Health Focus Over Prosecution in Knife Incident
New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani has publicly urged Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz to refrain from prosecuting a young man who allegedly confronted police officers with a kitchen knife. The mayor emphasised that 22-year-old Jabez Chakraborty, who remains hospitalised in critical condition, requires mental health care rather than facing criminal charges.
Details of the January Confrontation
According to the New York Police Department, the incident occurred on January 26 at the Chakraborty family home in Briarwood. Body camera footage reportedly shows Chakraborty wielding a large knife and moving towards officers who responded to an emergency call. Officials stated that the individual was repeatedly instructed to drop the weapon before being shot multiple times.
Police accounts indicate that officers did not draw their firearms until Chakraborty brandished the knife. After the shooting, an officer provided first aid in an attempt to stabilise the injured man.
Mayor's Evolving Stance and Advocacy
Mayor Mamdani initially expressed gratitude towards the first responders involved in the situation. However, after visiting Chakraborty in hospital and facing significant community pushback, his position shifted dramatically. The mayor now argues that the case highlights systemic failures in mental health crisis response.
At a Tuesday press conference in Manhattan, Mamdani revealed that Chakraborty suffers from schizophrenia. He used the incident to promote his Department of Community Safety agenda, which aims to establish a mental health system focused on prevention, sustained care, and specialised crisis response. "Jabez needs mental health care, not criminal prosecution by a District Attorney," Mamdani asserted.
Family Allegations and Community Backlash
The Chakraborty family has presented a contrasting narrative to the official police account. They claim they contacted emergency services requesting medical assistance for their son, who was experiencing emotional distress, not police intervention. The family alleges that after the shooting, NYPD officers demanded their phones, threatened them to comply, and questioned their citizenship while their son lay wounded.
"After all this, we saw mayor Mamdani’s statement applauding the NYPD officers who shot our son, threatened and lied to us, and kept us from seeing our son for over 24 hours," the family stated through DRUM, a social justice organisation representing working-class South Asian and Indo-Caribbean communities.
Legal Proceedings and Ongoing Controversy
Despite the mayor's intervention, the Queens District Attorney's office has proceeded with an attempted murder indictment against Chakraborty. The young man remains hospitalised on a ventilator under police guard.
This incident occurs against the backdrop of Mayor Mamdani's previous criticisms of the NYPD, which he has described as a "rogue agency" and advocated for defunding. The case has sparked broader debates about police responses to mental health crises, appropriate use of force, and the intersection of criminal justice with healthcare needs.
The family continues to demand that charges be dropped, while law enforcement maintains that officers followed protocol when faced with an armed individual advancing toward them. Both the NYPD and the Queens District Attorney's office have been approached for further comment on the developing situation.
