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| Man Shot After Striking Off-Duty New York Detective With Meat Cleaver, Authorities Say | Man Shot After Striking Off-Duty New York Detective With Meat Cleaver, Authorities Say |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A man wielding an 11-inch meat cleaver near Pennsylvania Station and resisting police officers’ efforts to catch him on Thursday slashed an off-duty detective in the head before being shot by the police, the authorities said, in an episode that sent commuters and tourists fleeing during the evening rush. | A man wielding an 11-inch meat cleaver near Pennsylvania Station and resisting police officers’ efforts to catch him on Thursday slashed an off-duty detective in the head before being shot by the police, the authorities said, in an episode that sent commuters and tourists fleeing during the evening rush. |
| It started when the police confronted a man who was trying to remove a “boot” device attached to a tire on his car, officials said, and escalated into a chaotic chase through Midtown Manhattan that ended with officers shooting at him 18 times. | It started when the police confronted a man who was trying to remove a “boot” device attached to a tire on his car, officials said, and escalated into a chaotic chase through Midtown Manhattan that ended with officers shooting at him 18 times. |
| The man, Akram Joudeh, 32, was critically injured and taken to Bellevue Hospital Center, the police said. The off-duty detective, identified by the police as Brian O’Donnell, was in serious condition. Four other officers were taken to the center, two with serious injuries and two with minor ones. | |
| The episode began around 5 p.m. at West 32nd Street and Broadway when several officers responded to a report that Mr. Joudeh was trying to remove the device, Police Commissioner William J. Bratton said at a news conference on Thursday night. The police said they believed Mr. Joudeh, whose last known residence was in Queens, was living out of his car. | The episode began around 5 p.m. at West 32nd Street and Broadway when several officers responded to a report that Mr. Joudeh was trying to remove the device, Police Commissioner William J. Bratton said at a news conference on Thursday night. The police said they believed Mr. Joudeh, whose last known residence was in Queens, was living out of his car. |
| The chief of department, James O’Neill, said Mr. Joudeh pulled a cleaver from his waist band, threatened the officers and then fled. At one point, the chief said, the man mounted the front grill of a marked police car that had responded to the call. As officers pursued him, a uniformed sergeant “deployed a Taser, striking the suspect without apparent effect,” Chief O’Neill said. | The chief of department, James O’Neill, said Mr. Joudeh pulled a cleaver from his waist band, threatened the officers and then fled. At one point, the chief said, the man mounted the front grill of a marked police car that had responded to the call. As officers pursued him, a uniformed sergeant “deployed a Taser, striking the suspect without apparent effect,” Chief O’Neill said. |
| As Mr. Joudeh ran along West 32nd Street, the off-duty detective, who was headed to Penn Station after a day in court, saw the pursuit and tried to stop him. He was struck in the head with the cleaver, “causing an approximate six-inch gash from his temple about down to his jaw,” the chief said. | |
| Officers then fired at the man, striking him several times, the chief said. | Officers then fired at the man, striking him several times, the chief said. |
| Officials said Mr. Joudeh had several past arrests, but they would not elaborate on his criminal history. In 2010, Mr. Joudeh pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor of petit larceny and was sentenced to 90 days, according to public records. In 2009, he was charged with grand larceny and criminal possession of stolen property, but those felonies were dismissed, records show. He pleaded guilty to unauthorized use of a vehicle and was fined, but served no time. | |
| Asked about the possibility that the attack might have been tied to terrorism, Chief O’Neill said, “As part of our investigation, nothing’s off the table.” | Asked about the possibility that the attack might have been tied to terrorism, Chief O’Neill said, “As part of our investigation, nothing’s off the table.” |
| The chase left commuters and tourists scurrying for cover as officers flooded the area during the start of the evening rush near a transit hub. Mr. Bratton addressed concerns that so many shots were fired in such a busy area. | The chase left commuters and tourists scurrying for cover as officers flooded the area during the start of the evening rush near a transit hub. Mr. Bratton addressed concerns that so many shots were fired in such a busy area. |
| “Sufficient shots were fired to deter the attack on my officers,” he said. | “Sufficient shots were fired to deter the attack on my officers,” he said. |
| Richard DeWald, a nurse, said he narrowly avoided Mr. Joudeh during the pursuit. “He just seemed wild and crazy,” Mr. DeWald, 56, said. “First there was yelling, and then all I heard was the gunshots.” | Richard DeWald, a nurse, said he narrowly avoided Mr. Joudeh during the pursuit. “He just seemed wild and crazy,” Mr. DeWald, 56, said. “First there was yelling, and then all I heard was the gunshots.” |
| Witnesses said they saw Mr. Joudeh on the corner of 32nd Street and Avenue of the Americas, clutching a large meat cleaver to his chest. They said he was silent and his face was expressionless. | Witnesses said they saw Mr. Joudeh on the corner of 32nd Street and Avenue of the Americas, clutching a large meat cleaver to his chest. They said he was silent and his face was expressionless. |
| “He didn’t say a word, that’s the thing,” said Jonathan Schneier, who works at a software company and watched the episode unfold from across the street. | “He didn’t say a word, that’s the thing,” said Jonathan Schneier, who works at a software company and watched the episode unfold from across the street. |
| Mr. Schneier said the officers, shouting “Drop the weapon,” pointed their guns at the man, who appeared “flustered.” | Mr. Schneier said the officers, shouting “Drop the weapon,” pointed their guns at the man, who appeared “flustered.” |
| “He just looked like a crazy guy with a huge weapon,” he said. “He just literally looked like a deer in headlights.” | “He just looked like a crazy guy with a huge weapon,” he said. “He just literally looked like a deer in headlights.” |
| Mr. Schneier said the man began “sprinting as fast as he could” and was pursued by police. About 10 seconds after that, Mr. Schneier said, he heard gunshots. | Mr. Schneier said the man began “sprinting as fast as he could” and was pursued by police. About 10 seconds after that, Mr. Schneier said, he heard gunshots. |
| “I called my girlfriend right away and told her what happened,” he added. “It’s New York. Stuff happens.” | “I called my girlfriend right away and told her what happened,” he added. “It’s New York. Stuff happens.” |
| Robert Mennella of Bridgewater, N.J., said he had left the subway station at 32nd Street and Seventh Avenue and was headed to Penn Station. | Robert Mennella of Bridgewater, N.J., said he had left the subway station at 32nd Street and Seventh Avenue and was headed to Penn Station. |
| He said he saw a number of unmarked and marked police cars racing along 32nd Street when he heard gunshots. | He said he saw a number of unmarked and marked police cars racing along 32nd Street when he heard gunshots. |
| “Everybody turned around,” he said. “Some people stood there with their phones to take pictures, and I just took off.” | “Everybody turned around,” he said. “Some people stood there with their phones to take pictures, and I just took off.” |
| He said he ran to Penn Station and saw officers from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and from New Jersey Transit running upstairs. | He said he ran to Penn Station and saw officers from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and from New Jersey Transit running upstairs. |
| “I just told them ‘shots fired,’ and they started running faster,” he said. | “I just told them ‘shots fired,’ and they started running faster,” he said. |
| Lina Gana, a laser technician at Cosmed Laser and Spa on Avenue of the Americas, said she heard gunshots that “sounded like a machine gun.” | Lina Gana, a laser technician at Cosmed Laser and Spa on Avenue of the Americas, said she heard gunshots that “sounded like a machine gun.” |
| Another technician, Nailya Howe, who has worked in the area for three years and at the spa for more than a year, said she was surprised by what happened. | Another technician, Nailya Howe, who has worked in the area for three years and at the spa for more than a year, said she was surprised by what happened. |
| “I’ve never heard gunshots here before,” she said. “This is a very quiet area.” | “I’ve never heard gunshots here before,” she said. “This is a very quiet area.” |
| Ms. Gana agreed. “Ten minutes before the shooting, I was walking down the street getting food for everyone,” she said. “And then this happened.” | Ms. Gana agreed. “Ten minutes before the shooting, I was walking down the street getting food for everyone,” she said. “And then this happened.” |