What to Know
- The NYPD shot and killed a man who had opened fire on another man after an argument in the East Village; the other man also died
- Two .22 caliber handguns were recovered near each of the men; it wasn't clear if the man initially fired upon also fired his weapon
- Neither of the officers was injured in the shooting; their body camera footage is being reviewed
Two men were shot and killed, one by police, following an argument between them that started inside a hookah lounge in the East Village early Thursday, according to the NYPD.
Police say two uniformed officers who were patrolling Tompkins Square Park in East Village heard gunshots just before 4 a.m. and responded to the scene at the corner of East 7th Street and Avenue A. That's where they found a man shooting at another man.
The officers engaged them and told the armed man to get on the ground. "It was then the officers fired approximately three times at the male, striking him," NYPD Chief of Department Terence Monahan told reporters.
Both of the men were pronounced dead at a hospital.
Two .22 caliber handguns were recovered near each of the men, according to Monahan, but it wasn't immediately clear if the man who was being shot at had also fired his weapon.
Neither of the officers was injured in the shooting. Their body cameras were activated and the footage is currently being reviewed, Monahan said.
Cellphone videos posted to the Citizen app shows large police presence and police have advised residents to avoid the area.
Officials blocked off the area for the investigation. Production vehicles for a TV show that was set to film at the location were also blocking some traffic.
