Police responded to 108 Christopher Ave. in Brownsville after a woman called 911, reporting that her ex was threatening her, and she believed that he was on the way to kill her.
NYPD officials say the woman told police he was angry because another man had been watching their children. She told officers that the suspect was known to carry weapons, including machetes and hammers.
The woman met two police officers in the lobby when they arrived. When they went upstairs to the apartment, the 25-year-old man was already inside.
Officials say that within seconds of entering the apartment, the man took a knife from his waistband and moved towards the officers.
Officers tased the man, but it was ineffective. The man continued to approach the officers with the weapon, coming within a few feet of one of the officers, who fired two shots, striking the man in the chest.
The man, believed to be the father of at least one of the children, was taken to Brookdale University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
No officers were injured, although the officer who fired the shots was being checked out.
Officials say the woman and children were not injured.
It's unclear how the man was able to get into the apartment.
A knife was recovered by police at the scene.
"It's sad. It's senseless violence. That's what we're out here for, to try to de-escalate that type of violence and became a liaison between community and officers to prevent that from happening," said community activist Warren Fleming.
The investigation is ongoing.
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