Police: Man shot by officers after advancing with sword in Bay Shore
The shooting drew a strong police presence and closed off several blocks of the neighborhood as detectives conducted their investigation. Nearby residents were shaken by the violence.
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A man was shot by police Tuesday afternoon after he allegedly charged at officers with a large sword outside a home on Ohio Avenue in Bay Shore.
The incident began around 1:30 p.m., when Suffolk County police received a 911 call from a man claiming he had hostages and was suicidal. Responding officers arrived to find 33-year-old Joseph Restaino, who police say has a history of mental illness, armed with a sword.
According to Suffolk Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina, officers repeatedly ordered Restaino to drop the weapon, but he did not comply.
“The officers immediately instructed the individual to drop the weapon, at which point he unsheathed the sword and started advancing on the officers,” Catalina said.
An officer deployed a taser, but it was ineffective. Police then fired several shots, striking Restaino in the torso. He was taken to a local hospital for surgery. His condition has not been released, but police said he was alert and speaking when he was transported by ambulance.
Authorities later confirmed there were no hostages in the home and that Restaino had been alone.
The shooting drew a strong police presence and closed off several blocks of the neighborhood as detectives conducted their investigation. Nearby residents were shaken by the violence.
“It is a little nerve-wracking,” said Josh Correa, a resident of Bay Shore. “Usually this neighborhood doesn’t have anything like that. It’s a bit of a reality check.”
The officers involved were also taken to the hospital to be treated for tinnitus, a condition involving ringing in the ears, as well as for emotional trauma following the incident.
