Police shoot man who charged at officer with dagger in Brooklyn

Monday, May 9, 2016
BERGEN BEACH, Brooklyn (WABC) -- The NYPD says an officer shot a man who charged at an officer with a dagger in Brooklyn.

The man was making his way through a Bath Beach neighborhood kicking car doors. When police officers arrived to check on reports of a man 'acting irrationally' at the corner of East 68th Street and Avenue T, they paid a visit to the apartment the man went into.

When police approached the door, they saw 27-year-old Simon Zemshmin through the window holding a dagger. Police say the dagger, called the 'Phurba Dagger' is a replica from the movie 'The Shadow'. It is 8-9 inches in length, with a 4-5 inch blade.


Photo: @NYPDNews/Twitter

Zemshmin immediately ran towards the officers, and charged at them. Police say as the officer backpedaled away, he fired two shots, striking Zemshmin in the stomach.
[Ads /]
The man was taken to Brookdale Hospital where he is currently in stable condition. Eyewitness News is told his injuries are not life-threatening. Police will continue to investigate at the scene.
Copyright © 2026 WABC-TV. All Rights Reserved.