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NYPD Officer Shoots Knife-Wielding Father on Lower East Side, Police Say

By  Trevor Kapp and Aidan Gardiner | January 26, 2016 7:54am | Updated on January 26, 2016 9:33am

 The man, who witnesses identified as Julian DeJesus, wouldn't drop a knife when police told him to, NYPD officials said.
The man, who witnesses identified as Julian DeJesus, wouldn't drop a knife when police told him to, NYPD officials said.
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Instagram/@babybottlegordo and DNAinfo/Trevor Kapp

LOWER EAST SIDE — Police shot a knife-wielding father of two who wouldn't stop approaching even after being told to do so Tuesday morning, NYPD officials said.

The 25-year-old suspect, who friends identified as Julian DeJesus, was initially shouting and making a scene outside 911 FDR Drive in the Jacob Riis Houses where the mother of his son and daughter lives, witnesses said.

"I told my sister, 'Julian's outside.' He was cursing out to my sister's window. He got crazy. He came up to the door. I didn't know if he was going to come in," said the mother's brother, who wouldn't give his name.

"He was just a nutjob. He was just a maniac," he added.

DeJesus left just before police arrived and they tracked him to 765 FDR Drive where he stood clutching a knife while making a commotion in the doorway of his grandmother's seventh-floor apartment, an NYPD spokesman said.

Police told DeJesus to drop the knife, but he refused and started walking toward them "in a threatening manner" so they shot him in the chest, police said.

"I heard an argument. It was back and forth. Then I heard gunfire. I heard just one shot," said seventh-floor tenant Jose Santos, 31.

"I heard crying and a girl saying, 'You shot him! He's probably dead! Call an ambulance!'" Santos added.

DeJesus was taken to Bellevue Hospital where he's listed in stable condition, police said.

Police confiscated the knife at the scene. DeJesus was expected to face charges but was not immediately arrested, police said.

Confiscated Knife

Police recovered DeJesus's knife at the scene, they said. (NYPD)

The officers were treated for ringing in the ears at Beth Israel, police said.

Those who know DeJesus said he recently started using drugs.

"He got quiet. He didn't speak much. He looked weird. His face changed. He looked sick, eyes with dark circles," said Liz Williams, 33, who lives in Dejesus' grandma's building.

Neighbors said DeJesus is very devoted to his own budding music career.

"He ain't got no psychological problems. He's a good guy. He takes care of his kids. Everything is music to him. That's all he wants," said friend Brittney Serrano, 20.

DeJesus once worked construction and now performs under his nickname, "Gordo." His Instagram account is full of short videos of him singing.

 

Quick fleestyle... #fleemasons #topprraaa

A video posted by @babybottlegordo on

"He likes to sing. He likes to rap. That's basically what his career was going toward," said longtime friend Kayla Gomez, 25.

"I saw him yesterday morning. He was fine. He was rapping, like always, saying, 'Check out my new song,'" Gomez added.