Earlier, Black Westchester reported that a Mount Vernon police officer shot an armed man during a court-ordered mental health response, based on an initial statement released by the City of Mount Vernon.
However, the limited information provided by city officials left Black Westchester—and many concerned residents—with more questions than answers.
After our original report was published, the New York State Police released a more detailed statement regarding the officer-involved shooting. While the latest account answers several of the questions we raised, important questions remain.
You can read the New York State Police’s full statement below.
On July 30, 2026, at about 9:50 p.m., members of the Mount Vernon Police Department responded to an apartment on East Fourth Street to execute a mental health commitment order.
Officers encountered the subject, 58-year-old Ulysses McGhee, who was armed with two knives. McGhee retreated into his apartment, and members of the Mount Vernon Police Department attempted to negotiate with him into the early morning hours. After those efforts were unsuccessful, search and arrest warrants were obtained, and the department’s Emergency Service Unit (ESU) responded.
At about 2:06 a.m. this morning, ESU members breached the door to the apartment and encountered McGhee, who was still armed with the knives. Officers attempted to subdue McGhee using less-lethal measures, including Tasers and beanbag rounds, which were not effective, and one officer discharged their firearm, striking McGhee.
McGhee was transported to Jacobi Medical Center in the Bronx, where he remains in critical condition.
The officer who discharged the firearm was transported to New York-Presbyterian Westchester for evaluation. No injuries to that officer were reported. A second Emergency Service Unit officer was treated for an ear injury sustained during the incident.
At the request of the Mount Vernon Police Department, the New York State Police is conducting the investigation. The investigation remains ongoing, and additional information will be released as it becomes available.
After the statement released by the NYS Police, Kenneth Chamberlain Jr, son of Kenneth Chamberlain Sr who was murdered by the White Plains police shared how this incident is painfully familiar.
“While every case is different and must be judged on its own facts, there are troubling similarities that cannot be ignored.
Once again, we have a person reportedly experiencing a mental health crisis, negotiations taking place, and an encounter that ended in the use of deadly force.” Chamberlain Jr shared with Black Westchester.
Stay tuned to Black Westchester for the latest developments. Continue checking back and refreshing this page, as we will update this story whenever new information becomes available.
This is exactly what our community needed to hear right now 💎