A shooting on Monday, September 16th, at a Brooklyn subway station left four people injured, prompting protests and a public debate on police use of force. The New York Police Department (NYPD) opened fire on a man, identified as 37-year-old Derell Mickles, who allegedly threatened officers with a knife after evading the fare. The officers’ gunfire also struck two bystanders and an officer during the chaotic scene.
The incident unfolded when two officers followed Mickles after noticing he had not paid his fare at the Sutter Avenue L train station. According to the NYPD, they approached him, asking him to leave due to his fare evasion. He then left the station only to return 10 minutes later with a knife. Reports say Mickles advanced on them with a knife, threatening to kill them. Attempts to subdue him using stun guns failed, leading both officers to fire multiple rounds in the underground subway station, hitting bystanders on the subway platform. Mickles was hospitalized in stable condition. One of the bystanders, a 49-year-old man, was critically injured after being shot in the head, while a 26-year-old woman suffered a graze wound.
Two days after the shooting, protesters gathered at the station in a demonstration organized by the group “Swipe It Forward,” which advocates for universal transportation. Chants against the NYPD filled the station, and demonstrators distributed MetroCards, assisting commuters in bypassing turnstiles. During the protest, 18 individuals were arrested.
The shooting sparked criticism of the police response, with locals like Tyrik Coleman expressing concerns over public safety. “You expect to take the train and go from point A to point B and then you can lose your life just like that because of somebody that’s supposed to be a professional,” Coleman remarked, calling the situation unfair for the people who paid their fare and were caught in the crossfire of the NYPD’s gunfire. Interim Police Commissioner Tom Donlon defended the officers’ actions, attributing the violent outcome to the armed suspect.
Gregory Delpeche, the 49-year-old who was shot in the head by the NYPD’s crossfire, is in critical condition. Reports say he had a portion of his skull removed due to brain swelling from the bullet. Delpeche’s attorney, Nick Liakas, on Wednesday said, “This unnecessary tragedy could have been avoided had they employed proper de-escalation measures. We are here today because the city of New York has failed to take responsibility for the actions of its officers. We are here to ask for a full investigation.”
Meanwhile, Mayor Eric Adams visited the injured officer and praised the NYPD’s “level of restraint” during the incident. At his weekly media briefing, the mayor said, “It’s just unfortunate that innocent people were shot because of that, but they were shot because they had a dangerous repeat offender on our subway system.” However, critics and protesters remain concerned about the implications of police use of force in such situations, especially as they await further investigation and the release of the bodycam footage.
