NYPD lawsuit exposes deadly flaws in mental health crisis response
Raul de la Cruz has filed a lawsuit against the NYPD and New York City over injuries he suffered during a 2023 incident. The case centres on a mental health crisis call that ended with officers shooting him seven times. His family had requested help, but the city’s specialised mental health response team was unavailable in their Bronx precinct. The incident began when de la Cruz’s father called 311 after his son experienced a schizophrenic episode. Two officers, Derek Bernard and Nicholas Trupia, arrived at the scene. Neither spoke Spanish, de la Cruz’s primary language.
The officers did not create a plan or use de-escalation tactics before confronting him. De la Cruz, holding a knife, was shot seven times. He survived but still carries a bullet in his back and suffers lasting physical and psychological harm.
The lawsuit demands compensation for his injuries and an order to change the city’s mental health crisis response policy. New York’s B-HEARD program, which sends mental health professionals to emergencies, was not operating in that precinct at the time.
Newly elected Mayor Zohran Mamdani has publicly backed reforms for how the NYPD handles mental health calls. De la Cruz’s lawyer, Jody Yetzer, remains cautiously hopeful about the administration’s willingness to resolve the case. The case highlights gaps in New York’s mental health emergency response. De la Cruz’s injuries and the lawsuit push for policy changes to prevent similar incidents. The outcome could influence how the city trains officers and deploys mental health professionals in future crises.
