Man killed in police-involved shooting in Mott Haven section of the Bronx
MOTT HAVEN, Bronx (WABC) -- Authorities say a man armed with a machete was killed in a police-involved shooting in the Bronx early Tuesday.
The man, identified as 69-year-old Mario Sanabria, was shot in an apartment on the third floor of a building at 230 Brook Avenue in the Mott Haven section just after 4:15 a.m.
Police say members of the NYPD Emergency Services Division were executing a search warrant at the apartment, and that two members of the team went to a rear bedroom where they were confronted by a man brandishing a machete-type sword with a two-foot blade.
The man was ordered to drop the weapon and allegedly refused to comply. Police say when the suspect continued to approach an officer, the officer fired one shot, striking the man in the chest.
Sanabria was pronounced dead at Lincoln Hospital. Authorities say he was not the suspect for whom police were initially searching.
Authorities say a 92-year-old man who was also in the apartment was taken to the hospital for treatment. He is believed to be Sanabria's father.
No police officers were injured.
The NYPD released a photo of the machete:
The warrant was apparently obtained to search for guns and drugs in the apartment.
"They are very dangerous when you do these things," said Joseph Giacalone, a former NYPD Detective Sergeant and instructor at John Jay College.
He said this is known as a no-knock search warrant and can be dangerous because of the uncertainty.
"I would believe he had plenty of time to react to the police and drop the knife, but he just seemed like wanted to fight them," he said.
The initial suspect police were looking for later appeared at the apartment building and was arrested by police. He is believed to be Sanabria's 38-year-old nephew.
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