MANHATTAN — Police shot and pepper sprayed a chain-wielding man who whipped a civilian and lunged at cops near a women's clothing store in East Harlem Tuesday night but refused to go down after the onslaught, the NYPD said.
The suspect, who could not be identified, first attacked a pedestrian about 7:45 p.m. outside the store at 1870 Third Ave. near East 103rd Street, according to police
A housing cop saw the attack and ordered the suspect to drop the chain, police said.
Instead, the attacker moved at the officer and lifted his chain as if to hit him while standing about 5 feet away, police said. The cop responded by firing a round into his stomach, authorities said.
The man fell after being shot but rose again quickly to advance on the first officer and additional officers who had arrived. They then blasted him with pepper spray "to no apparent effect," police said.
Even more officers arrived who were finally able to wrestle the man to the ground and take him to St. Luke's Hospital, where he was in stable condition, cops said.
The condition of the civilian who was initially attacked was not immediately clear.
As of Wednesday morning, cops still had not identified the attacker and his fingerprints turned up no results, officials said.
