NYPD Officers Shoot, Kill Knife-Wielding Man In Times Square

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New York police shot and killed a man who they say lunged at them with a knife near Times Square on Saturday afternoon. The dramatic chase and confrontation played out in one of the city's most crowded tourist areas.

Around 3 p.m., officers said they approached the 51-year-old man who appeared to be smoking marijuana. The 'man became agitated, pulled out an 11-inch knife and began to put a bandanna on his head,' police said, according to the Associated Press.

The police account of the narrative, per the AP:

He refused repeated orders to drop the weapon and began backing down the avenue, continuing for a number of blocks and drawing many officers into a slow-speed pursuit that took them south of Times Square.

According to the police account, officers pepper sprayed the man six times but he held onto the knife throughout the seven-block pursuit. At West 37th Street, he lunged at police and two officers shot him in the torso, police said. He was pronounced dead at Bellevue Hospital.

The chaotic scene obviously drew spectators in the area, many of whom sought to record the incident. At least one person said their phone was confiscated by an officer, after recording the ordeal.

Video of the confrontation below (NSFW):