New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is under sharp criticism after arguing that a man shot by police during a violent confrontation should receive mental health treatment instead of facing criminal charges.
The backlash intensified after “The Big Weekend Show” co-host Joey Jones condemned the mayor’s stance.
“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.
His remarks followed new details about the confrontation involving 22-year-old Jabez Chakraborty, who authorities say lunged at NYPD officers in Queens while wielding a large kitchen knife.
Family Requested Emergency Removal Before Confrontation
According to police, Chakraborty’s family had sought an involuntary removal order before the encounter, triggering a required response from both EMS and officers.
Authorities say the young man was in a severe mental health episode when he allegedly charged at police, prompting officers to fire.
The Queens district attorney’s office is still reviewing the case, and initial reports indicate prosecutors are evaluating an attempted murder indictment.
Mayor Calls for Treatment Instead of Charges
Rather than supporting the criminal review, Mamdani met with Chakraborty’s family and repeated their call for medical care over prosecution.
He insisted the young man needed “mental health treatment, not criminal prosecution from a district attorney.”
At a news conference, the mayor highlighted the family’s suffering.
“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.
He also emphasized that law enforcement should not always be the first line of response when someone is in psychiatric crisis.
“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 said.
Critics Accuse Mamdani of Misplaced Sympathy
Jones argued that the mayor’s comments deserve a strong reaction from law enforcement, similar to moments when officers previously turned their backs on city leadership.
Political commentator Guy Benson also criticized Mamdani’s remarks, saying footage shows police exhausting every option before firing.
He said the mayor’s response suggests he sees the suspect as the primary victim.
“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.
Mental Health Reform at Center of Political Firestorm
Mamdani campaigned heavily on mental health reform during his 2025 run for office.
Supporters say his comments align with his long-standing belief that the city must address psychiatric crises with more medical intervention and fewer confrontational responses.
Critics counter that his latest remarks blur the difference between a violent attack and a health emergency, creating political turmoil even as prosecutors continue reviewing the case.
