In the early hours of September 7, 2025, a violent and chaotic scene unfolded at the 73rd Precinct in Brownsville, Brooklyn, when a man armed with a 14-inch butcher knife entered the station house and attacked a female NYPD officer, setting off a chain of events that would end with his death at the hands of police. The incident, which occurred just before sunrise, has reignited conversations about police safety, mental health, and the unpredictable dangers that law enforcement officers face every day on the job.
According to multiple reports, including coverage by ABC News, Eyewitness News, New York Post, Fox News, and The New York Times, the suspect—identified by neighbors and law enforcement sources as 35-year-old Justin Coleman—first attempted to enter the precinct via the front vestibule at around 5:24 a.m. The front doors were locked, so Coleman left without saying a word and made his way to a rear entrance marked for police personnel only. Surveillance footage later confirmed his movements, showing him walking purposefully, but silently, through the precinct’s restricted areas.
It was at this back entrance that Coleman encountered a female officer assigned to station-house security. As recounted by NYPD Chief of Patrol Phillip Rivera at a press conference, the officer instructed Coleman to use the front entrance if he needed help. Instead of complying, Coleman suddenly drew a large butcher knife and slashed the officer in the face. The officer managed to fight him off despite the surprise and severity of the attack, sustaining cuts to the top of her head and her left ear while blocking the blade with her arm, according to union president Patrick Hendry speaking to the New York Post. Law enforcement sources told the Post that Coleman appeared to be aiming for the officer’s throat in what was described as a "clear targeted attack."
In the immediate aftermath, another officer deployed a taser in an attempt to subdue Coleman, but the device failed to stop him. Coleman fled out the back entrance, still wielding the knife, with several officers giving chase on foot through the streets of Brownsville. Witnesses later told Eyewitness News that they heard officers repeatedly shouting at Coleman to drop his weapon, with one officer reportedly pleading, "We don't want to do this."
The pursuit continued for several blocks, ending near Saratoga Avenue between Eastern Parkway and Park Place. There, officers confronted Coleman, again ordering him to drop the knife. Instead, Coleman lunged at one of the officers with the weapon raised. At that point, multiple officers discharged their firearms, striking Coleman several times. He was transported to Brookdale Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival, as confirmed by both the NYPD and local hospital officials.
The entire sequence—from the initial attack inside the precinct to the final confrontation on the street—was captured on body cameras and surveillance video, according to police. The footage is now part of an ongoing investigation into the incident. Officers recovered the 14-inch butcher knife at the scene, a grim reminder of the lethal force Coleman brought into the precinct that morning.
The female officer who was slashed was treated at a local hospital for what officials described as superficial injuries. She was released later that day and is expected to make a full recovery. NYPD Chief of Patrol Rivera told reporters she was "in good spirits" and praised her resilience. Mayor Eric Adams visited the officer in the hospital, later posting on social media, "She is going to recover and is in good spirits, but this incident is a reminder of the danger our brave men and women in uniform face every day protecting our city. Thank you for all you do."
Two other officers who responded to the scene suffered tinnitus, likely from the sound of gunfire, but were not otherwise seriously injured. The officer’s parents, both NYPD detectives, also visited her in the hospital, with Hendry noting the emotional toll it took: "Being a police officer is in her blood. But her parents see their daughter in a hospital, it’s very traumatic for them. But she did a tremendous job here tonight."
As the investigation continues, questions linger about Coleman’s motives and mental state. Neighbors told Eyewitness News that Coleman lived just a block from the precinct and struggled with mental health issues. Anthony Patterson, who knew Coleman, described him as "a great guy, very peaceful. Never seen him in a violent manner. It hurts hearing what had transpired earlier today. And I still cannot wrap my head around it." Patterson also called for greater transparency, urging the public to see all available video evidence and reflecting on the need for changes in how policing intersects with mental health: "When it comes to policing and mental health, we really have to curve the bias and change how policing is being done."
The NYPD and city officials have underscored the extraordinary risks that officers face, especially when violence erupts within the supposed safety of a police station. Chief Rivera emphasized, "Every day our officers put on these uniforms, they encounter dangerous situations out in the street, but it’s another kind of danger when someone comes directly into a precinct armed with a knife and attacks our officers." Patrick Hendry echoed this sentiment in a statement, saying, "This individual had no fear when he walked into a police precinct and attacked a uniformed cop—there is no telling what he might have done to innocent New Yorkers out on the street. Despite being injured, our sister pursued this individual along with her fellow police officers, and they stopped the threat before anyone else was hurt."
While the suspect’s official identification was initially withheld, law enforcement sources confirmed to the New York Post that the attacker was Justin Coleman, who had a prior assault arrest in April 2024. As of Sunday evening, Brooklyn prosecutors had not provided further details about that case.
The incident remains under investigation, with authorities reviewing body camera footage, surveillance video, and witness statements. The shooting has also prompted renewed calls for both police accountability and better mental health interventions, as community members and officials alike grapple with the tragic events and their broader implications for public safety in New York City.
Ultimately, the events of that early September morning serve as a stark reminder of the unpredictable dangers faced by police officers—and the complex, sometimes tragic intersections of mental health and law enforcement in America’s largest city.
