New York --
A knife-wielding man killed Saturday afternoon by at least seven police bullets near tourist-packed Times Square was unemployed and was admitted to a hospital four years ago for a psychiatric evaluation, an NYPD official said Sunday.
Darrius Kennedy, 51, whose last known address was in Hempstead, N.Y., was fatally shot after a four-minute pursuit that spanned seven city blocks, according to Deputy Police Commissioner Paul Browne.
Before the shooting, Kennedy had brandished a knife with a 6-inch blade, swung it at police, spoke unintelligibly and threatened police officers and the public, Browne said.
Browne on Sunday said Kennedy had a history of arrests, 10 in total since 1978, with several for marijuana and weapons possession.
In October 2008, Kennedy was taken to Bellevue Hospital Center for psychiatric evaluation after he was found knocking garbage cans over in Times Square, Browne said. Browne said he did not know the results of the evaluation.
One month later, again in Times Square, Kennedy was arrested after yelling and cursing at drivers and threatening police officers with a screwdriver as a weapon, Browne said.
Police on Saturday first approached a "belligerent" Kennedy as he smoked a marijuana cigarette in Times Square shortly after 3 p.m., Browne said.
When he was finally cornered near 37th Street, two police officers fired 12 rounds from their guns, hitting him with at least seven shots.
A knife-wielding man killed Saturday afternoon by at least seven police bullets near tourist-packed Times Square was unemployed and was admitted to a hospital four years ago for a psychiatric evaluation, an NYPD official said Sunday.
Darrius Kennedy, 51, whose last known address was in Hempstead, N.Y., was fatally shot after a four-minute pursuit that spanned seven city blocks, according to Deputy Police Commissioner Paul Browne.
Before the shooting, Kennedy had brandished a knife with a 6-inch blade, swung it at police, spoke unintelligibly and threatened police officers and the public, Browne said.
Browne on Sunday said Kennedy had a history of arrests, 10 in total since 1978, with several for marijuana and weapons possession.
In October 2008, Kennedy was taken to Bellevue Hospital Center for psychiatric evaluation after he was found knocking garbage cans over in Times Square, Browne said. Browne said he did not know the results of the evaluation.
One month later, again in Times Square, Kennedy was arrested after yelling and cursing at drivers and threatening police officers with a screwdriver as a weapon, Browne said.
Police on Saturday first approached a "belligerent" Kennedy as he smoked a marijuana cigarette in Times Square shortly after 3 p.m., Browne said.
When he was finally cornered near 37th Street, two police officers fired 12 rounds from their guns, hitting him with at least seven shots.