Cop Kills Man with Knife

Police said officers shot a 40-year-old Queens man to death when he came at them with a knife as they were investigating a domestic dispute at his Woodside home.

Police were called to the home of Deonarine Matan, at 88-49 Eldert Lane Sunday night, who was fighting with his 18-year-old son, officials said. As Matan's wife was explaining the circumstances of what had happened between her son and her husband to police, Matan came down the stairs brandishing a 12-inch knife, police said.

Reports said Matan continued toward the officers with the knife. When pepper spray did not stop him, Officer Christopher Romanski shot Matan once in the chest. He later died of his injuries at Jamaica Hospital.

Romanski and Officers Thomas Rail and Mario Desruisseaux, were treated at Jamaica Hospital for trauma.

"As in all police shootings we're conducting a thorough and impartial investigation into the facts . . ." the Queens district attorney said through a spokesperson.

This was the second such incident in three days. On Friday, officers fatally shot a 48-year-old man in the Bronx. The man's daughter said her father, a schizophrenic, approached police with a 10-inch knife.

Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction or distribution is prohibited without permission.