A man from Long Island was fatally shot by a police officer on Tuesday after purportedly confronting the officers with swords, as per statements from the Suffolk County Police Department and the New York State Attorney General's office.
The victim, identified by police as 54-year-old Alan Weber, prompted a 911 call on Tuesday evening due to his reported violent behavior at his residence. When officers arrived, he refused to meet them outside and was allegedly engaged in destructive behavior, as mentioned in the police statement.
The officers attempted to enter his home, where Weber was reportedly screaming and causing property damage.
According to the statement released by the AG's office on Thursday, as officers entered, Weber brandished what appeared to be two swords. Despite being tasered, he continued to advance towards the officers, leading to the fatal shooting.
Although police found two fencing swords at the scene, it was not explicitly stated if those were the swords Weber had in his possession. Notably, Weber was wearing a fencing mask during the incident.
According to reports from NBC New York, neighbors had observed Weber behaving erratically throughout the afternoon, approaching different houses in the vicinity. Those acquainted with him disclosed that he struggled with mental illness.
Fencing Tracker, a website that maintains a roster of fencers, indicated that Weber had participated in a fencing tournament as recently as April of the same year. While affiliated with the Manhattan Fencing Center, the center did not respond to inquiries from PEOPLE.
The incident is currently under investigation by the AG's office.
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