Attorney Pushes Mamdani Administration to Settle NYPD Shooting Lawsuit and Revamp Mental‑Health Response

Context Three years after NYPD officers shot Raul de la Cruz during a mental‑health crisis, he remains physically disabled and still carries a bullet. A federal judge dismissed his earlier suit, calling him an “erratic, uncooperative individual brandishing a knife” and deeming the officers’ force justified. De la Cruz has now filed a new lawsuit in Bronx Supreme Court and appealed the dismissal to the Second Circuit Court of Appeals.

Key Facts - De la Cruz’s suit seeks monetary compensation for ongoing medical care and demands that the city replace NYPD response teams with trained medical and mental‑health professionals for crisis calls. - Attorney Ruth Lowenkron, representing de la Cruz, says she is “optimistic” that Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s administration will settle the case, citing the mayor’s public opposition to police violence and his plan for a non‑police crisis response. - Lowenkron points to Mamdani’s newly created Office of Community Safety, which aims to reduce police involvement in mental‑health emergencies, as a sign of shared goals. - The mayor’s office has not confirmed settlement talks; a city spokesperson directed inquiries to the Law Department, which said it will review the pending matters. - Lowenkron argues the federal judge mischaracterized de la Cruz, noting that officers arrived without Spanish‑speaking staff despite de la Cruz’s limited English, which she says hampered communication and escalated the encounter. - The attorney hopes the appellate court will reverse the dismissal, allowing the case to proceed to trial or settlement.

What It Means If Mamdani’s administration settles, the city could avoid further litigation costs and set a precedent for handling mental‑health crises without police. A settlement would also likely include policy changes that shift emergency response to medical teams, aligning with the mayor’s stated priorities. Conversely, a court victory for de la Cruz could force the city to adopt new protocols regardless of political will.

Watch for the Second Circuit’s decision and any formal settlement announcement from the Mamdani administration in the coming weeks.