New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is facing sharp criticism after publicly suggesting that a man shot by police while allegedly charging officers with a knife should receive mental health treatment instead of criminal prosecution.

The incident centers on 22-year-old Jabez Chakraborty, who police say advanced toward officers in Queens while holding a large kitchen knife during a mental health episode.

The case has sparked a broader debate about how cities should handle encounters involving mental illness, particularly when police are forced to intervene.

Police Shooting Sparks Debate Over Mental Health Response

Authorities say the confrontation occurred after Chakraborty’s family requested help for their son.

Police told Fox News Digital that the family asked for an involuntary removal, a process that requires both police officers and emergency medical services to respond.

During the encounter, officers allegedly faced a dangerous situation when Chakraborty advanced toward them with a knife. Officers ultimately shot him.

The Queens district attorney’s office has since opened an investigation into the incident.

Early reports suggest prosecutors are considering whether to pursue an attempted murder charge.

Mayor Mamdani Calls For Treatment Instead Of Prosecution

However, Mamdani publicly sided with the family’s argument that the suspect requires mental health care rather than criminal punishment.

After meeting with Chakraborty’s relatives, the mayor addressed the situation during a press conference.

“We are talking about a family that is enduring the kind of pain that no family should and an individual that has lived with schizophrenia for many years,” Mamdani said during a news conference last week.

Mamdani emphasized that emergency responses involving mental illness should not always rely solely on police intervention.

“A person experiencing a mental health episode does not always have to be served first or exclusively by a police officer. It is important for us to have all of the options available,” he added.

Critics Say Mayor Undermined Police Response

The mayor’s comments quickly triggered criticism from several commentators who argued he was downplaying the danger faced by officers.

During a segment on “The Big Weekend Show,” co-host Joey Jones strongly condemned Mamdani’s remarks.

“For Mamdani to take any position on this that would paint that police officer as doing anything but what you would teach in a course is malpractice for the position he holds, and I hope that someone holds him accountable for it,” Jones said.

Other commentators argued that the video footage of the encounter suggested officers had few options left before opening fire.

Debate Intensifies Over Mayor’s Response

Fox News contributor Guy Benson also criticized Mamdani’s reaction to the incident.

“To then go in solidarity with the knife-wielder who ignored those orders from the police and to show up in that hospital room like he’s the true victim in this rather than the police officer who finally fired his weapon in self-defense…

“It says everything about this mayor of this town, what he sees as his worldview, who he sees as victims and aggressors, and I don’t think the movie gets better from here,” he said.

The controversy has intensified scrutiny of Mamdani’s approach to public safety and policing.

Mental Health Reform A Major Focus For Mamdani

Mamdani has made addressing the city’s mental health crisis a major priority since launching his 2025 mayoral campaign.

His administration has repeatedly called for expanding mental health services and increasing alternatives to traditional law enforcement responses.

However, the Queens case has highlighted the difficult balance cities face when mental health emergencies escalate into dangerous encounters.

For now, investigators with the Queens district attorney’s office continue reviewing the shooting as the debate over Mamdani’s response grows louder.