The man, identified as 26-year-old /*Dwayne Browne*/, was fatally shot by an /*NYPD*/ officer responding to a report of a home invasion at the /*East New York*/ home shortly before 11 p.m. Thursday.
Police say a female resident called over to the officers as they pulled up, telling them her husband was being robbed by two men in her home.
According to authorities, uniformed officers encountered two armed men with their faces covered beating up a third man. Then, they encountered Browne, the husband's half-brother, who was armed with a gun. Police say Browne pointed the gun at the officers, who identified themselves and told him drop the weapon. They say he did not, and so they opened fire. But family members say Browne was trying to break up the fight and protect his family.
Browne, in his pajamas, staggered into the house and collapsed. He was rushed to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Family members are anxious to know what happened and why police would fire on a man outside of his own home.
"They say he had a weapon, then they should have said, 'Halt, police,'" City Councilman /*Charles Barron*/ said. "Because if he did, he was going to protect himself and his home, certainly not to do any harm to anyone else. And if those who were invading his home ran, then police should've gone after them."
Police say they have recovered a weapon at the scene, an unlicensed .38-caliber handgun. The weapon had five live rounds and one in the chamber. It had not been fired.
Browne had 13 prior felony arrests, including criminal possession of a weapon and assault.
His half-brother, Dale Agorro, was also in possession of a handgun. He has 10 prior arrests, the last on Dec. 22 for marijuana possession.
Police are obtaining a search warrant for the house, where drugs and a scale were observed. They are investigating whether it is a drug stash house, and if the initial incident was a robbery for the drugs.
As for the robbery suspects, police were still searching for them.
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