New York: Four people injured after police shoot knife-wielding man who didn’t pay his subway fare

Four people were injured at a New York City subway station after police pursued and shot at a man they say had not paid his rail fare.

Two innocent bystanders were hit by bullets as well as the suspect and one of the officers – in what appears to be a case of friendly fire.

The standard fare for the New York subway is $2.90 (£2.20).

The incident happened just after 3pm local time on Sunday when two officers followed a man up some steps at Sutter Avenue in Brooklyn after seeing him enter without paying, Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey said.

The officers told the man to stop, but he refused, muttering “I’m going to kill you if you don’t stop following me,” Mr Maddrey said. In the course of the encounter, the officers noticed the man had a knife, he added.

They followed him onto a train that had pulled into the station and fired two tasers, but neither incapacitated the man, Mr Maddrey said.

Mr Maddrey said the man was advancing on the officers with the knife when both officers fired multiple rounds.

The 37-year-old man was hit several times and was taken to hospital where he was in a stable condition.

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A video taken by a bystander shows the officers rendering first aid on the man, before one of them realises that he, too, had been hit by a bullet.

One passenger, a 49-year-old man, was hit by a bullet that passed into an adjoining subway car and struck his head, leaving him in critical condition.

Another passenger, a 26-year-old woman, suffered a graze wound. The wounded police officer had a bullet enter his torso under his armpit and lodge in his back but is expected to make a full recovery.