Two leading FDNY firefighter organizations threw their support behind the family of retired FDNY Lt. Michael Lynch, who was fatally shot by NYPD cops after a bizarre standoff at a Brooklyn hospital.
Lynch, 62, checked himself into New York-Presbyterian Hospital Brooklyn Methodist on Jan. 7 after becoming concerned about mounting pressure in his head and other symptoms, fearing he was having a stroke, his wife told the Daily News.
A day later, he was fatally shot by NYPD officers after he took an elderly patient and a hospital security guard hostage and barricaded himself in a room while refusing to drop a broken piece of porcelain he had cut himself with, according to police.
The NYPD’s Force Investigation Division will be looking into Lynch’s death as it does with all police-involved shootings, the department said.
“The events that unfolded on Thursday are a tragic ending to an incredible life,” Uniformed Fire Officers Association President James Brosi said in a statement. “More important than his accomplished career, he was loved by his family, his community, and his fellow brothers and sisters on the job. We mourn his loss, grieve with his family, and support a full investigation into the events that led to his death.”
Lynch’s devastated family is calling for a thorough investigation into not only the police shooting, but what happened in the hours when the retiree was under a doctor’s care at Brooklyn Methodist.
On the day of the incident, police described Lynch as “emotionally disturbed.” Later that same day, the NYPD said police never had any previous interactions with him until the hospital standoff. Lynch’s family contends that the long-serving city employee didn’t have a history of mental illness.
“In these tragic cases, as with every police-involved shooting, the NYPD will conduct an exhaustive investigation and review,” NYPD Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said on X.
State Attorney General Letitia James’ office has also announced it opened a probe into Lynch’s death, as required by state law.
In addition to being a firefighter and MTA bus driver, Lynch served the city as a NYPD officer in the 1990s. He joined the FDNY in 1999, worked on the Sept. 11 rescue-and-recovery effort and rose to the rank of lieutenant. He retired in 2008.
The Vulcan Society, an organization of Black firefighters, also expressed their devastation over Lynch’s death.
“The Vulcan Society has lost one of its giants and a passionate public servant,” said Jonathan Logan, president of the group. “It is our sincere hope that this matter will be thoroughly investigated and that answers and resolution will be provided to the Lynch family and their loved ones.”