The Bobster
Senior News Editor since 2004
https://nypost.com/2019/04/15/bronx...ps-after-charging-at-them-with-knife-sources/
Bronx man fatally shot by cops after charging at them with knife
By Larry Celona and Tina Moore
April 15, 2019 | 1:41am | Updated
A Bronx police officer fatally shot a man nicknamed “Chaos” when he charged at cops twice with a stick and a knife, once after being tased, according to law-enforcement sources.
Authorities received a call around 10:45 p.m. Sunday claiming that Kawaski Trawick, 32, was harassing residents at the Hill House halfway house in Morris Heights, sources said.
Neighbors said the musclebound man — whose Facebook page said he was an aerobics instructor — was allegedly threatening people in the building’s lobby with a large piece of wood and a knife when the cops were called.
Trawick had “like a big 2-by-4 and a long knife,” said one building resident, who declined to give his name. “He said, ‘Get away from me, man! You ain’t ready to die!’
“I told security to call the police to make him stop the noise.”
Before the cops arrived, Trawick retreated into his own apartment in the Grand Avenue building — but held tight to his weapons.
Two officers, including the one who shot him, knocked on his door. The suspect answered holding a knife and a stick and immediately attacked them with the blade, sources said.
The cops tased Trawick, and he stopped for a moment but then charged again when the officers went to handcuff him, the sources said.
Another resident, who also declined to give his name, said he heard cops come to the terrifying realization that the stun gun wasn’t bringing the armed man down.
“I heard, ‘The taser is not working, the taser is not working!’ ” said the neighbor, claiming that it wasn’t the first time Trawick had brandished a knife at cops. “Then I heard, ‘Please drop the knife, please drop the knife!’
“Then I heard four shots: Boom, boom, boom, boom.”
One of the officers fired four rounds, hitting Trawick at least once, sources said. The shooting was captured on at least one cop’s body-camera.
Trawick was transported to Bronx Lebanon Hospital in critical condition, where he later died.
Both officers were also taken to a nearby hospital for ringing in the ears.
Hill House, which is run by Palladia — a nonprofit social-services group — provides transitional and permanent housing for people suffering from addiction, homelessness, poverty, trauma and domestic problems. Palladia could not be reached for comment.
Trawick has three prior arrests, for criminal mischief, assault and criminal possession of marijuana.
A close friend who came to visit Trawick on Monday was reduced to tears when he learned the news.
“I was just with him [Sunday] morning,” said Anthony Smallwood, 22.
Later in the day, “I’m calling him telling him I left my bag and coat there at his house, and he wasn’t picking up.”
Smallwood said he recently noticed that the friend he’d dubbed “Chaos” wasn’t acting like himself — including carrying a blade for self-defense.
“Like yesterday, he was yelling and screaming. He had the knife in his hand, but he said it was for protection,” Smallwood said. “He’s very high maintenance on protection.”
Smallwood said Trawick was an Atlanta native who hadn’t spoken with his family in about 13 years and that they’d booted him onto the street because of his sexuality.
“His family threw him out. … He was bisexual,” Smallwood said. “We both was bisexual. He’s the one that actually helped me come out.”
Another pal said Trawick was struggling with mental health issues and drug addiction.
“I kept telling him, ‘Instead of doing drugs, take your meds,’ ” recalled Victor Jennings, 29. “He’s always been edgy, and I always tell him that he needs to slow down.”
Bronx man fatally shot by cops after charging at them with knife
By Larry Celona and Tina Moore
April 15, 2019 | 1:41am | Updated
A Bronx police officer fatally shot a man nicknamed “Chaos” when he charged at cops twice with a stick and a knife, once after being tased, according to law-enforcement sources.
Authorities received a call around 10:45 p.m. Sunday claiming that Kawaski Trawick, 32, was harassing residents at the Hill House halfway house in Morris Heights, sources said.
Neighbors said the musclebound man — whose Facebook page said he was an aerobics instructor — was allegedly threatening people in the building’s lobby with a large piece of wood and a knife when the cops were called.
Trawick had “like a big 2-by-4 and a long knife,” said one building resident, who declined to give his name. “He said, ‘Get away from me, man! You ain’t ready to die!’
“I told security to call the police to make him stop the noise.”
Before the cops arrived, Trawick retreated into his own apartment in the Grand Avenue building — but held tight to his weapons.
Two officers, including the one who shot him, knocked on his door. The suspect answered holding a knife and a stick and immediately attacked them with the blade, sources said.
The cops tased Trawick, and he stopped for a moment but then charged again when the officers went to handcuff him, the sources said.
Another resident, who also declined to give his name, said he heard cops come to the terrifying realization that the stun gun wasn’t bringing the armed man down.
“I heard, ‘The taser is not working, the taser is not working!’ ” said the neighbor, claiming that it wasn’t the first time Trawick had brandished a knife at cops. “Then I heard, ‘Please drop the knife, please drop the knife!’
“Then I heard four shots: Boom, boom, boom, boom.”
One of the officers fired four rounds, hitting Trawick at least once, sources said. The shooting was captured on at least one cop’s body-camera.
Trawick was transported to Bronx Lebanon Hospital in critical condition, where he later died.
Both officers were also taken to a nearby hospital for ringing in the ears.
Hill House, which is run by Palladia — a nonprofit social-services group — provides transitional and permanent housing for people suffering from addiction, homelessness, poverty, trauma and domestic problems. Palladia could not be reached for comment.
Trawick has three prior arrests, for criminal mischief, assault and criminal possession of marijuana.
A close friend who came to visit Trawick on Monday was reduced to tears when he learned the news.
“I was just with him [Sunday] morning,” said Anthony Smallwood, 22.
Later in the day, “I’m calling him telling him I left my bag and coat there at his house, and he wasn’t picking up.”
Smallwood said he recently noticed that the friend he’d dubbed “Chaos” wasn’t acting like himself — including carrying a blade for self-defense.
“Like yesterday, he was yelling and screaming. He had the knife in his hand, but he said it was for protection,” Smallwood said. “He’s very high maintenance on protection.”
Smallwood said Trawick was an Atlanta native who hadn’t spoken with his family in about 13 years and that they’d booted him onto the street because of his sexuality.
“His family threw him out. … He was bisexual,” Smallwood said. “We both was bisexual. He’s the one that actually helped me come out.”
Another pal said Trawick was struggling with mental health issues and drug addiction.
“I kept telling him, ‘Instead of doing drugs, take your meds,’ ” recalled Victor Jennings, 29. “He’s always been edgy, and I always tell him that he needs to slow down.”
