The incident happened Thursday afternoon after 4 p.m. on the eastbound Belt Parkway near the Bay 8th Street exit.
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Police say an NYPD highway officer stopped a Jeep Cherokee for speeding, but as she approached the vehicle, the suspect sped away. The officer followed the driver and put her unmarked vehicle in front of his car.
The suspect rear-ended the officer and continued eastbound on the highway, police said.
The officer requested backup and with the help of an additional highway unit, they pulled the vehicle over 200 yards east of the Bay Parkway Avenue entrance.
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A 65-year-old man, the only person in the Jeep, got out and moved toward the officers with a gun, police said.
The officers told the man to drop the gun but he continued to move toward them. That is when police say they fired multiple rounds and he was struck several times.
Despite initial reports that his injuries were not life-threatening, police said he died at the hospital.
No officers were injured.
Police said the man had seven prior arrests. A weapon was discovered at the scene.
"Listen it's a dangerous situation, it's unfortunate there had to be a negative ending but we did what we had to do to stop the threat," said NYPD Chief of Department Rodney Harrison.
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All lanes of the Belt Parkway were closed for the investigation. By 7 p.m. the highway had reopened, but drivers were warned to expect residual delays.
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