Chilling video shows the moment an NYPD officer killed a man with a single gunshot to the head as the suspect held his mother in a chokehold while screaming that he had a knife in December, police said.
Police officer Alex Morgese struck suspect Michael Dotel, 30, just inches from the victim’s face during a tense standoff on December 23, according to the clip and police.
Dotel fell backward to the ground after being hit with a single shot and was later pronounced dead at St. Barnabas Hospital, according to authorities.
At around 11am, police had responded to what they described as “a family call for help” inside an apartment on Creston Avenue in Bedford Park, The Bronx.
Arriving at the scene, officers said a 19-year-old woman, Dotel’s girlfriend, came screaming out of the property with apparent slice wounds to her face.
Upon entering the apartment, police initially said they saw Dotel holding his mother, 45, in a headlock with a large carving knife to her throat, though authorities later said the suspect claimed to have the knife.
The NYPD has been approached via email for clarification.
As Dotel’s mother was losing consciousness, police opened fire, authorities said on Friday.
“Do it, she’s gonna get it,” the suspect shouted at Morgese and his partner as he held his mother as a shield, according to the new footage released.
In the bodycam video, Dotel shouted: “Shoot me, shoot me,” in the living room of the apartment.
When Morgese asked the suspect where the knife was and to drop it, Dotel said: “I got the knife,” the video shows.”
Morgese said: “Drop the knife, where is it?” again just seconds before shooting Dotel, according to the footage.
Police said in December Dotel had threatened to kill his whole family and himself, and two victims were wounded during the incident. Authorities released a photo of a large carving knife found at the scene at the time, The New York Post reports.
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Speaking at a press conference back then, NYPD Chief of Patrol John Chell said: “Today was a complete tragedy during this holiday season. Thank God our cops got here quickly and saved this family from further harm.”
The force’s assistant commissioner for public information Carlos Nieves said on Friday that an internal investigation into the shooting was ongoing.
The New York Attorney General’s Office said days after the shooting it was also looking into the incident.
The AG’s office said on Sunday night that the investigation is ongoing, The Post reports.
Police said at the time they didn’t know what caused Dotel to snap, but that there was a documented history of domestic violence at the apartment, Eyewitness News previously reported.
