Buffalo Shooting Raises Questions About Police Response Strategies

It's been another busy week for officers and investigators with the Buffalo Police Department.

News from different parts of Buffalo has reported several shootings in just about every corner of the city, but there is one shooting that happened in the afternoon hours on Saturday, May 23, 2026, that has many people all over Buffalo and beyond asking questions.

According to a video that was caught by someone driving down Broadway in Buffalo's Broadway-Fillmore neighborhood, a man who appears to have been having some sort of mental crisis was shot at least twice by officers from the Buffalo Police Department.

In the video, it shows a man is wrestling and attempting to run away from officers with his pants halfway down his legs. As he stumbled away, it appears that shots fired by officers hit the man. Then, when the man was on the ground, the video appears to show the officer stomping on the man while he was on the ground.

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Around 8 p.m., the Buffalo Police Department held a press conference at the scene, where they reported basic details about the shooting. According to Deputy Police Commissioner Craig Macy, the altercation that resulted in this officer-involved shooting started around 4:30 when officers were flagged down.

Macy contends that the unidentified man had a box cutter and a pair of scissors and was cutting himself, along with saying he wanted to commit suicide. When officers tried to take the man into custody, that's when the fight started. Macy said an officer was stabbed in the back by the unidentified man. Officers also were said to have tried to use a taser before they shot him.

The suspect, who was in possession of a box cutter and a pair of scissors, was allegedly cutting himself and said he wished to commit suicide. After officers attempted to engage with the subject, a physical altercation ensued, during which an officer was stabbed in the back.

A taser was effectively deployed against the suspect; however, another physical altercation ensued as the suspect refused to drop his edged weapons. Following a third physical engagement, the suspect was shot twice, in the torso and hip, by one of the officers. As more details become available, the department said it will release more details.

Both the man in question and the officer who was stabbed were taken to the Erie County Medical Center for treatment.

Like with all police related incidents that lead to the death of someone, this shooting will be investigated by the New York State Attorney General’s Office Special Investigations, a requirement that has been in effect since 2021.