Several months following the fatal shooting of Michael Dotel by the NYPD, video footage has emerged, unveiling the precise moment of the incident. Dotel, aged 30, was found holding his mother in a chokehold at knifepoint when the fatal shooting occurred inside a Bronx apartment in December, last year.
Dotel Had Three Criminal Cases Against Him
As per the reports, the police responded to the calls related to a family dispute. ABC 7 reported that on the day, the police officers were dispatched to an apartment on Creston Avenue in Bedford Park in response to what they characterized as "a family call for help" at 11.00 am. Upon their arrival, a 19-year-old woman, later identified as Dotel's girlfriend, emerged from the apartment, screaming, and displaying apparent lacerations on her face.
Upon entering the apartment, officers saw the 30-year-old, often referred to as Hulk by his family members, holding his mother in a headlock with a large carving knife pressed against her throat. The victim was visibly injured and bleeding from the area, according to the officers' account.
Prior to his death, the police disclosed that Dotel, who had a documented history of mental illness, was facing three active criminal cases.
Dotel Challenged Cops to Shoot
According to the New York Post, NYPD Chief of Patrol John Chell said that Dotel disregarded "multiple" commands from the police to drop the knife, all the while maintaining a grip on his 45-year-old mother's throat and choking her to the point where she collapsed.
"Either kill me or kill her!" Dotel allegedly screamed at the officers, as reported by the victim's husband to the outlet. The husband further stated that Dotel was on the verge of slashing his mother's throat when the police discharged their weapons, striking him in the head.
The video captures a young woman fleeing the apartment with a facial wound as the police approach the scene. Officer Alex Morgese discharged a single shot at Dotel, hitting the 30-year-old in the head, causing him to fall backward. Prior to the shooting, Dotel provocatively challenged Morgese to fire at him. "Do it, she's gonna get it," Dotel shouted while still using his mother as a shield. "Shoot me, shoot me," he screamed at the officers. "I've got the knife."
