Saheed Vassell was waving a metal object at passersby when he was fatally shot by police when police responding to 911 calls for a man with a gun said he "took a two-handed shooting stance" and pointed the object at them. Neighbors and family said police were aware that Vassell was mentally ill, and he was a harmless fixture in the neighborhood.
Victim's Name: Saheed Vassell
Agency Responsible: New York Police Department
Gender: Male
Age: 34
Race: Black
Date of Death: April 4, 2018
County: Kings
Cause of Death: Gunshot
Official Disposition: Pending investigation/No Known Charges
Criminal Charges: No known charges
Mental Illness: Yes
Armed: Unclear
Weapon: metal pipe
Threat Level: attack
Fleeing: Not fleeing
Body Camera: No
Washington Post Database ID: 3577
Geography: Urban