Mount Vernon police officer shoots man barricaded inside apartment, officials say

A Mount Vernon police officer shot an armed man after he barricaded himself inside his apartment during a mental health crisis, police said.

Members of the department's Emergency Services Unit went to an apartment in the area of Columbus Avenue and East Fourth Street to serve mental health commitment papers just before 10 p.m. Thursday.

Officers said Ulysses McGhee, 58, was armed with two knives and barricaded himself in his apartment when they arrived.

"He was in a rage. He said, 'If you come in, I'm going to ... if you come in here, I'm going to kill you,' or something," a neighbor said.

The neighbor says McGhee was sometimes seen in the courtyard with a knife.

Mount Vernon Police say they used extensive special resources to try to bring the situation to a peaceful close, including what they call their wellness team and specially trained hostage negotiators.

After several hours, police got a court order to enter. After they tried and failed to subdue McGhee with a Taser and beanbag shotgun, one MVPD officer fired their service weapon, police say.

"I heard like a commotion, big commotion. Pound, pound, pound, then I hear pop, pop, bang. Yeah, and that was it," the neighbor said. "About three gunshots."

State Police say McGhee was critically injured and taken to a local hospital.

The New York State Police is now investigating, which is standard protocol for officer-involved shootings. The Attorney General's Office is likely to review the shooting, as well, to determine if police acted properly.