NYPD Probes Manhattan Police-Involved Shooting
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- New York City police are looking into why a stun gun apparently failed before a knife-wielding man was shot to death by officers.
The NYPD says Emmanuel Paulino, 24, was shot several times after he refused to drop a 6-inch knife and lunged at officers.
A police sergeant had first fired a Taser stun gun. Police say Paulino pulled one of the prongs out of his body and only two of the darts penetrated Paulino's skin, 1010 WINS' Terry Sheridan reported.
LISTEN: 1010 WINS' Terry Sheridan with NYPD Commissioner Kelly
Paulino was hit several times and was pronounced dead at the hospital. Police say officers fired a total of nine shots after the man backed them into a parked car. Commissioner Ray Kelly said that police could "no longer back up any further."
A protest was planned for Monday afternoon following the controversial shooting, which was prompted by a 9-1-1 call from Paulino.
Police confronted Paulino Sunday morning at 121-123 Vermilyea Ave. in the Inwood section of Manhattan shortly after he made the call.
This is a transcript of that call:
Operator: 911 Operator, where is your emergency?
Suspect: Yeah, I want you to call the cops cause I'm ready to kill.
Operator: What?
Suspect: I'm ready to kill some cops right now.
Operator: You're ready to kill some cops?
Some neighbors and relatives said police overreacted
Activists were also upset the NYPD released audio from the 9-1-1 call before a full investigation had been conducted.
Sheridan reported that Kelly said he released the tape because he wanted to show what police were up against.
Kelly also said that emergency services were called when it became clear police were dealing with an emotionally disturbed person.
Fernando Mateo, the president of Hispanics Across America, held a vigil Sunday night in front of Paulino's home.
"We believe that with all the technology and all the training the finest police department in the world has, it could have been prevented, it could have been handled differently,'' Mateo said.
Mateo also said the NYPD could have negotiated with Paulino.
"To kill him is unacceptable," Mateo said, "There's no justification."
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