Police shoot, kill armed man who threatened to ‘shoot up’ hospital on Upper East Side

Police-involved shooting on UES

A police officer shot and killed a man they say was armed on Manhattan’s Upper East Side Thursday night, according to authorities. FOX 5 NY's Richard Giacovis has the latest.

NEW YORK - A police officer shot and killed a man they say was armed on the Upper East Side Thursday night, after a tense series of encounters that began with a chilling threat inside a deli, according to authorities.

Suspect threatens ‘I’m going to the hospital now to shoot it up’

What we know:

Just after 7 p.m., police received a 911 call about a man with a gun near East 107th Street and Madison Avenue. Investigators say the man entered a deli, pulled out a firearm, and told a worker, "I’m going to the hospital now to shoot it up."

Timeline:

Police say the suspect then fled the store, sparking a search through the neighborhood. 

About 15 minutes later, he was seen near East 96th Street and Madison Avenue.

Police say the man’s erratic behavior continued as he made his way toward Mount Sinai Hospital, entering and exiting the building multiple times.

According to investigators, at one point the suspect approached an off-duty NYPD officer inside the hospital and began acting aggressively. 

The officer placed his firearm on the ground to de-escalate, but police say the suspect grabbed for the weapon before running out of the hospital.

Soon after, officers from the 19th Precinct confronted the man outside near Madison Avenue. Police say the suspect fired a shot at officers first, prompting them to return fire. The man was struck and taken to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

"This was a dangerous and volatile encounter that unfolded in a matter of minutes," police said, noting that the suspect’s gun was recovered at the scene.

No officers or bystanders were injured. Authorities have not released the man’s identity as the investigation continues.

The NYPD’s Force Investigation Division is reviewing body camera footage and interviewing witnesses as they work to piece together the moments leading up to the shooting.