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Yet another unarmed Black man was fatally shot late yesterday afternoon. When a Brooklyn man was waving a metal object at passersby and was fatally shot by NYPD officers when they responded to a 911 call for a man with a gun who “took a two-handed shooting stance” and pointed at them. The man, who was killed has been identified as Saheed Vassell, 34-year-old welder and father of a teenage son. His father Eric Vassell, told the New York Times that his son, had bipolar disorder and had been hospitalized several times in recent years.

According to NY Daily News, NYPD Chief of Department Terence Monahan said at a press conference when the cops got to the street corner, Vassell turned to face them, aiming the object at them. Five officers three in plainclothes and two in uniform — responded to the call. The officers fired 10 shots, striking Vassell multiple times at about 4:45 p.m., according to Monahan. Vassell was taken to Kings County Hospital, where he died.

Monahan went on to say “The suspect then took a two-handed shooting stance and pointed an object at the approaching officers,” holding up a surveillance photo of a blurry figure standing next to a bodega ice machine with his arms outstretched.

No firearm was found at the scene — and police said Vassell had been holding a metal pipe with a knob on the end.

According to NY Daily News, Jaccbot Hinds, witnessed the shooting and said officers jumped out of their unmarked police car and fired without warning.

“They just hopped out of the car. It’s almost like they did a hit. They didn’t say please. They didn’t say put your hands up, nothing,” Hinds said.

After the shooting, an angry crowd, showed up to the scene to express their displeasure to say the least with the shooting. A women from the crow said “It’s not a crime scene! You murdered him…a young man in his own community, shot down — yet again.”

NYPD officials have yet to say whether they gave Vassell any warnings before fatally shooting him. None of the officers were wearing body cameras at the time of the shooting.

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