A tense early-morning standoff on the Brooklyn Bridge ended in a fatal police shooting Friday after a man carrying a knife moved toward NYPD officers who had spent nearly an hour trying to get him safely off the bridge cables.
Police were called to the bridge shortly before 3:30 a.m. after a 911 caller reported seeing a man walking along the bridge’s beams. Officers from the NYPD Emergency Service Unit responded and climbed onto the cables to reach him.
The man was on the cables above the bridge and was holding a knife. During the encounter, he told officers that he wanted to die and claimed he had a bomb, according to police officials.
ESU officers continued talking with him and repeatedly told him to drop the knife and come down safely. The officers were attached to the bridge with safety harnesses because of the height and conditions, limiting how quickly they could move.
After roughly an hour, police said the situation suddenly became more dangerous. The man began moving down the cable toward the officers at a much faster pace.
The officers tried to move backward, but they were unable to create distance quickly because of their safety equipment and position on the bridge. When the man came within about three feet of one officer, police said he raised the hand holding the knife toward the officer.
Another officer positioned on the bridge roadway then fired one shot, striking the man.
ESU officers brought him down from the cables and immediately began providing medical assistance. He was taken to NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue, where he was pronounced dead.
The man was later identified by two law enforcement sources as Chaun Bottom, who lived in the Bronx. Police recovered a knife and a flashlight at the scene. Officials have not confirmed that a bomb was actually present.
The shooting is being investigated by the NYPD’s Force Investigation Division, as is standard after an officer discharges a firearm. Officials said body-worn camera footage captured the incident and is expected to be reviewed as part of the investigation.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said preliminary information indicated that officers spent about an hour attempting to de-escalate the situation and urged the man not to jump before the confrontation turned into an immediate threat.
The incident caused significant disruption on the Brooklyn Bridge during the Friday morning commute. Police activity led to closures and delays, with the bridge later reopening as the investigation continued.
The shooting came only days after another deadly NYPD encounter involving a person armed with knives in Times Square. On Monday, police fatally shot a woman after authorities said she stabbed two people and then advanced toward officers with two knives. One of the stabbing victims, a 32-year-old woman, died, while another victim was injured.
The Brooklyn Bridge shooting remains under investigation, and additional details are expected as investigators review body-camera footage and other evidence from the scene.
