Man Shot Dead After Assaulting 2 NYPD Officers With Baton in Brownsville (UPDATE)

BROWNSVILLE, NY — A man was killed by police at the Van Dyke Houses in Brownsville after NYPD officials say he got ahold of an officer's metal baton and used it to assault two officers on Saturday.

At a press conference late afternoon, officials said two officers from the NYPD's housing bureau responded to a 911 call reporting a suspicious male in a hallway at 362 Sutter Ave. The officers responded to the scene at Brownsville's Van Dyke houses and encountered a man on the ninth floor hallway.

As the two officers, one male and one female who were both dressed in uniform, approached the man and asked him for his identification they soon became involved in a scuffle with the man, the NYPD said. At that point the male officer removed his metal baton, which the man got ahold of and used to assault both officers.

According to the NYPD, both officers fired at the suspect, who was struck several times and later pronounced dead.

The male officer received a two-inch gash to his head and the female officer was also struck several times, sustaining contusions. Both officers were transported to Jamaica Hospital where they are listed in stable condition.

He was later identified as Erickson Brito, 21, of Brooklyn.

Mayor Bill de Blasio has been briefed on the unfolding situation, his press secretary, Eric Phillips, tweeted.

Patch will update this breaking news story.

Colin Miner contributed reporting.

Image via Google Street View