New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is drawing fresh controversy after saying the Queens district attorney should not prosecute a mentally ill man who was shot by police while allegedly charging officers with a knife, arguing instead that the individual should receive mental health treatment.
The incident unfolded Jan. 26 in Briarwood, Queens, after the family of 22-year-old Jabez Chakraborty called 911 to report a domestic disturbance. According to NYPD officials, Chakraborty was throwing glass inside the family home on Parsons Boulevard and was armed with a large kitchen knife when officers arrived.
Police say officers attempted to de-escalate the situation, repeatedly ordering Chakraborty to drop the weapon. Body camera footage shows officers trying to isolate him in the living room by closing a glass door between themselves and Chakraborty. That effort failed, police said, when he forced the door open and rushed at officers with the knife extended.
At that point, one officer fired multiple shots, striking Chakraborty at least four times. Officers immediately rendered first aid and attempted to stop the bleeding before he was transported to a nearby hospital. He remains in critical but stable condition, according to the NYPD.
The family, however, disputes the response. In a statement, they said they specifically requested medical help, not law enforcement.
“We called 911 for an ambulance to provide medical attention for our son, who was in emotional distress,” the family said. “We did not call the police. Instead of medical responders, the NYPD arrived and shot our son multiple times right in front of us.”
Mamdani even took it upon himself to visit and comfort the 22-year-old who stabbed a police officer.
After a police officer was stabbed while on duty in New York City, Mayor Zohran Mamdani visited the hospital…
Not to check on the officer, but to comfort the ATTACKER!
That is your Democratic Party in 2026. pic.twitter.com/ULRXxqiUZ5
— Scott Jennings (@ScottJenningsKY) February 4, 2026
The Queens district attorney’s office is now investigating the shooting. Preliminary reports indicate prosecutors have considered whether to pursue charges of attempted murder related to the incident.
Mayor Mamdani, who said he has reviewed the body camera footage, publicly urged against criminal prosecution. Speaking at a Tuesday news conference, he said Chakraborty has lived with schizophrenia for years and should not be treated as a criminal.
“In viewing this footage, it is clear to me that what Jabez needs is mental health treatment, not criminal prosecution from a district attorney,” Mamdani said. “We are talking about a family that is enduring the kind of pain that no family should.”
Mamdani first month as mayor seems to be a total mess. Literally.
Zohran Mamdani’s NYC is becoming a dump faster than we thought.
Trash is piling up everywhere more than 1-week after the snow fall. Hardly any plows and no garbage collection.
A friend in the city just took these pictures. The warmth of collectivism smells awful! pic.twitter.com/1Nd9aQTLfZ
— Wall Street Mav (@WallStreetMav) February 3, 2026
He added that police should not always be the default response in mental health crises, arguing for broader alternatives involving medical and behavioral health professionals.
BREAKING🚨: Mayor Mamdani just visited the man who was shot by police after charging at an officer with a knife—while pushing the DA not to prosecute him and calling for ‘mental health treatment’ instead of charges. Meanwhile, the officers who risked their lives to stop a… pic.twitter.com/x6YjL3iKno
— Officer Lew (@officer_Lew) February 4, 2026
The mayor’s comments come after backlash from the family over his initial statement following the shooting, in which he thanked NYPD officers for putting themselves in harm’s way. The family accused the mayor of siding with officers they say nearly killed their son and blocked them from seeing him for more than 24 hours.
The case has reignited debate over police use of force, mental health response protocols, and prosecutorial discretion in New York City, placing Mamdani squarely at the center of a rapidly escalating political and public safety storm.
