Police Fatally Shoot Man After He Stabs Suffolk County Officer

BAY SHORE, NY — A man who stabbed a Suffolk County police officer multiple times was fatally shot by police Saturday morning outside his Bay Shore home.

Speaking at a news conference Saturday afternoon, Suffolk County Police Acting Commissioner Robert Waring said three police officers were responding to a 911 call at 1138 Udall Rd. around 9:10 a.m. when the incident occurred.

Waring said the wife of 33-year-old Taiquell Woodson called police because she was concerned he was acting violently, Waring said.

When the officers arrived, two of them approached the front door, Waring said. When one of the officers opened the screen door, Waring said Woodson charged at the officer with knife. The officer fell to the ground and Woodson jumped on top of him, stabbing him multiple times in the arm and attempting to stab him in the chest, Waring said.

He was "clearly attempting to kill him," Waring said.

According to police, another officer tried unsuccessfully to tase Woodson before the third officer shot him, stopping the attack.

CPR was administered to Woodson at the scene, Waring said. He was taken to South Shore University Hospital, where he died.

Woodson’s wife and 1-year-old child were not injured.

A trauma center physician at Stony Brook University Hospital said the wounded officer had wounds to his hands, both forearms and his face. He was wearing a bulletproof vest and suffered no injuries to his chest. The officer is expected to make a full recovery.

The other two officers were also taken to the hospital for evaluation, Waring said.

"Law enforcement is a dangerous profession and our officers put their lives on the line every day," Waring said. "This incident occurred in approximately five seconds. I want to be clear this was a justified shooting. Without the decisive actions of these officers, one of our officers would have been killed today."

At Saturday's news conference, Suffolk PBA President Lou Civello called Woodson a "violent career felon" who was "intent on killing a police officer today."

Waring did not elaborate on Woodson’s criminal record but said he was arrested for a robbery in Riverhead last year.

The investigation into the shooting is ongoing.