Officials say that at around 2 p.m. Saturday, the suspect entered the 7-Eleven in Throggs Neck.
Officers say they were tipped off to an armed man inside the store by an employee who left and ran to a nearby police precinct as soon as the suspect got aggressive.
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The woman then flagged down two officers at the 45th Precinct just down the block. When the woman came back to the store, the suspect was seen behind the counter with another employee, officials said.
Police say the officers entered the store and told the man to take his hands out his sweatshirt pocket.
"That male advancing toward the officer produced a kitchen knife and began to lunge at the officer that was giving him verbal commands. That officer removed his firearm, attempted to retreat backward, and fired his firearm one time, striking the male in the torso," said Assistant Chief Benjamin Gurley.
Police say when the suspect ignored the officer's repeated commands to drop the knife, an officer fired one round of their weapon.
"I thought there was some confrontation. I got my slushy, walked out and that was it. Next thing I know, I'm coming up Tremont, they said somebody got shot, said witness Steve Schiro.
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The suspect was pronounced dead at Jacobi Hospital.
One woman who works nearby was sickened by what happened.
"I wanted to throw up. I work here - I just came back from vacation. Yeah, I wanted to throw up," she said.
The cops were able to get to the scene so quickly because of their station's close proximity to this 7-Eleven.
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