Cop shoots at man threatening people with knife in Little Italy, NYC

An NYPD officer opened fire on a knife-wielding man threatening to carve up people in Little Italy on Friday, officials said.

The rampage began around 8:40 a.m. when a 25-year-old Brooklyn man allegedly grabbed two kitchen knives from inside Ruby’s Cafe on Mulberry St. near Spring St. He then stormed down the street, police sources said.

The man, who was sporting a black hoodie with the hood up, wandered down to Elizabeth St. near Grand St., where he threatened to cut a group of elderly people he found on the street, sources said. During the exchange, he tried to poke one of his victims with the knife, they added.

He then meandered around Little Italy and the Bowery, where he threatened more people near the Butcher’s Daughter, a cafe on Kenmare St.

NYPD Aviation dispatched a helicopter to the area, where they spotted the man near Houston St. and Bowery.

Police sources identified the suspect as a Crips member who did three years in prison on an attempted criminal possession of a weapon charge.

Cops ordered the suspect to drop the knives, but he refused, police said. One officer fired a Taser at him, but it didn’t work.

A woman officer from the 9th Precinct fired off a round as they tried to subdue the suspect, but no one was hit, police said.

At least one other cop fired his Taser, forcing the suspect to drop the knife, according to cops.

EMS took the man to Bellevue Hospital with minor injuries. The officer who fired the round was also taken to an area hospital with ringing in the ears.

No other injuries were reported.