Newly elected Mayor Zohran Mamdani finds himself in hot water just days into his tenure over a sluggish response to two fatal police-involved shootings in New York City on January 8, 2026.

On that day, two separate incidents unfolded—first at New York Presbyterian-Brooklyn Methodist Hospital in Brooklyn just before 5:30 p.m., where officers shot and killed Michael Lynch, a 62-year-old former NYPD officer who had barricaded himself with hostages, and later at 11:00 p.m. in Manhattan’s West Village, where Dmitry Zass, 37, was killed by police during a road rage confrontation involving an imitation firearm.

Mamdani’s Statement Draws Sharp Scrutiny

Mamdani, briefed immediately by NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch after each event, waited 16 hours to release a statement on January 9, 2026, according to the New York Post. Tisch, in contrast, publicly commended the officers’ actions by noon that day.

The delayed reaction from City Hall has ignited a firestorm of debate among police sources and political observers. Many question why Mamdani, who was quick to appear at unrelated emergencies earlier in the week, did not visit either shooting scene.

“Last night’s shootings at Brooklyn Methodist Hospital and in the West Village are devastating to all New Yorkers,” Mamdani posted on X at 9:44 a.m. on January 9, 2026. That sentiment might resonate, but the timing and tone have left many in law enforcement feeling unsupported.

While Mamdani emphasized a routine internal NYPD investigation in his statement, some police insiders saw it as a subtle jab at the officers’ conduct. It’s a curious stance for a mayor who backed away from more extreme anti-police rhetoric during his campaign.

Commissioner Tisch, on the other hand, didn’t mince words in her own X post, declaring the officers’ actions as nothing less than heroic. Her visible frustration, evident when she left City Hall on January 9, 2026, speaks volumes about the growing rift at the top.

Details of the Deadly Encounters

In the Brooklyn hospital incident, Lynch, wielding a jagged piece of toilet as a weapon, held an elderly patient and a security guard hostage on the eighth floor. Tasers failed to subdue him, leaving officers with no choice but to use lethal force.

Hours later in the West Village, officers on patrol responded to a road rage call at 3 Bedford Street, where Zass exited his BMW, appearing to brandish a gun. It turned out to be a fake Sig Sauer, but not before shots were fired, ending in his death.

Zass’ parents had already called 911 that day, reporting he was attacking his father with a firearm, and even secured an order of protection. It’s a tragic sequence of events, but one that underscores the split-second decisions officers face.

Political Fallout in Week Two

Mamdani’s absence from the scenes contrasts sharply with his prompt presence at two major fires in Queens and the Bronx earlier in the week. Why the hesitation when it comes to backing the blue?

Even at an unrelated Brooklyn College event on January 9, 2026, where he handed out theater tickets, Mamdani defended his slow response to reporters. “I take it very seriously the language that I use very seriously,” he said, insisting on intentional wording. But does caution excuse a 16-hour silence?

The State Attorney General’s Office of Special Investigation has stepped in to probe the West Village shooting, as is standard when police actions may result in a death. Yet, the political damage may already be done.

A Mayor Under Early Pressure

Just eight days into his term, Mamdani’s handling of this crisis echoes past tensions between progressive leaders and the NYPD. Some are already calling this his defining misstep, a stumble that could haunt his administration.

An unnamed former City Hall staffer didn’t hold back, remarking, “Week two and Mamdani has already betrayed the cops, this is his de Blasio moment.” It’s a biting comparison, but one that reflects a broader unease about where this mayor stands on public safety.