Cops shot a man who ignored their orders and charged at them while reaching into his waistband — but did not ultimately have a gun — in a Brooklyn neighborhood Monday evening, according to police.
Officers responded to numerous calls around 5:45 p.m. about a man with a gun near Lenox Road and Rogers Avenue in Prospect Lefferts Gardens, NYPD Chief of Department Terence Monahan said. Upon arriving, police observed a man with a gun, although he did not match the description of the gunman from the 911 calls, Monahan said. Officers ordered him to drop the gun, which he did.
The man was later identified as 60-year-old Vlatamere Francois. As police went to take him into custody, Francois was seen on bodycam yelling "He coming, he gonna blast me," according to Monahan. He was arrested and charged with weapons possession, and the firearm was recovered.
Soon after, another person outside a different building — who did match the description of the individual from the 911 calls — rushed toward the officers. The man, identified as Curtis McGarrell, reached into the waistband of his pants before quickly removing his hand, leading to an officer firing two shots, Monahan said. No gun was found on the 35-year-old McGarrell.
The suspect was struck once in the right leg, and brought to Kings County hospital. He was said to be conscious and in stable condition, Monahan said, and was in police custody. The officers were also taken to the hospital for observation, but Monahan did not indicate they suffered any injuries.
Both men were said to have some criminal history, according to Monahan. It was not clear what took place before police arrived, but Monahan said there seemed to have been some sort of dispute between the two individuals who were in custody.
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An investigation was ongoing. Police advised people to avoid the area while their investigation continued.
