A man seen running through New York City streets carrying two large knives and allegedly threatening bystanders was apprehended by police without injury, the NYPD said.
The incident started Friday around 9 a.m. in SoHo after police received calls for a man, said to be emotionally disturbed, armed with a knife. Officers responded near East Houston Street and Bowery where they found the suspect waving large knives in each hand.
One witness said the weapons were butcher's knives, that police said were stolen from a nearby restaurant, and another neighbor described the scene as "out of a horror movie." The man allegedly tried to attack one person, and later threatened a group of elderly people on Grand Street.
The NYPD says the officers told the man to drop the knives but he refused and led them on a brief foot chase from Prince Street up to Houston. That's when one of the officers fired a round at the man and a second fired a Taser; both missed the suspect. The errant bullet did not injure anyone or damage any property, a police spokesperson said.
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Eventually, officers were able to subdue the man without any serious injuries. He has since been taken to Bellevue Hospital for evaluation.
"I saw a guy with like longish greasy hair with two massive butcher knives like 8 inches long or something with two guys chasing him," one witness said.
No word yet on any potential charges he might face.
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The incident remains under investigation.
