New York City police broke the windows of a van during a confrontation with a suspected kidnapper before fatally shooting the driver, according to disturbing video footage.
Officers encountered the suspect during an attempted traffic stop on the Belt Parkway in Brooklyn’s Sheepshead Bay neighborhood late Saturday, footage recorded by vlogger Tiger Selmi showed.
The driver, described by authorities as a Black man in his 30s, allegedly rammed the white utility van into several vehicles on the busy expressway.
Video showed officers advancing toward the van with Tasers drawn while ordering the driver to stop. The suspect then tried to pull away.
As officers pursued the vehicle, they struck its windows and body with batons in an attempt to reach the driver. He continued moving, colliding with more cars as he fled.
Police opened fire when the driver attempted to escape, authorities said, although that portion of the incident was not captured on the video.
The driver was transported to NYU Langone Brooklyn Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
Police said the confrontation followed multiple 911 calls reporting that a woman could be heard kicking and screaming, “let me go,” during an alleged abduction.
New York City police broke the windows of a van during a confrontation with a suspected kidnapper before fatally shooting the driver on Brooklyn’s Belt Parkway Saturday night, footage captured by vlogger Tiger Selmi showed
Police opened fire as the driver allegedly tried to flee, authorities said. He was taken to NYU Langone Brooklyn Hospital, where he later died
A 911 call reporting a possible kidnapping was placed within the NYPD’s 60th Precinct, which covers Coney Island, a police spokesperson said.
The call came in at 7:19 p.m. near Seaside Park, according to authorities.
Initial reports suggested a child might have been involved, but police said their investigation found no minors at the scene.
An officer attempted to establish a roadblock, but the driver allegedly crashed into police and civilian vehicles. He then tried to get away by traveling against traffic, police said.
“The driver began to drive forward and backward, ramming both police and occupied civilian vehicles,” NYPD Assistant Chief Charles Minch told WABC.
“They used OC spray and deployed a Taser, which was not effective, and the driver continued to ram nearby vehicles.”
The woman, whose identity has not been released, was found inside the van and was not injured, authorities said.
The incident has been characterized by police as a domestic-related matter, according to the outlet.
Police said the driver had been wanted earlier this month in connection with an alleged domestic assault involving the same woman.
Police said the pursuit and shooting followed 911 reports that a woman was heard kicking and shouting “let me go” during an alleged abduction
The NYPD told Our News Outlet that no officers were reported injured in the shooting
The woman was found inside the van and was not injured, authorities said
The NYPD told Our News Outlet on Saturday night that no officers had been reported injured in the shooting.
The incident was at least the 10th fatal officer-involved shooting reported in New York City in 2026.
In September, officers shot and killed 49-year-old Pamela Cisneros Lopez, who police said was armed with a knife after stabbing a woman and a man near Times Square, one of Manhattan’s busiest tourist destinations.
That same week, police shot and killed a knife-wielding man on the Brooklyn Bridge after he told officers he had a bomb.
Authorities later identified the man killed on the bridge as 41-year-old Chaun Bottom.
