An unarmed New York City man is dead after an NYPD officer “inadvertently” shot him when he intervened in a confrontation between police and a knife-wielding suspect in Brooklyn.
A medical examiner determined Rafael Laureano died of a gunshot wound to the back.
The assailant, Francisco Carvajal, was also fatally struck when police fired the shots.
Police say Laureano had gone to the apartment after Carvajal’s former girlfriend called him for help. They say he rushed past officers to confront Carvajal.
Police say officers told Carvajal to drop the knife several times.
Police initially had said that Laureano was stabbed before officers arrived. The medical examiner said no stab wounds were found on his body.
It is unclear if the officers involved were placed on leave. The woman and her children were not harmed during the confrontation.
SOURCE: AP | PHOTO CREDIT: Getty
