A bystander was shot in the head as New York police tried to avoid the ride

New York police have defended their actions after a bystander was shot in the head as two officers tackled a knife-wielding fare evader in a busy subway station.

A man was in critical condition after a shooting at the Sutter Avenue L station in Brooklyn on Sunday afternoon. Three others were injured, including the suspect.

Police said officers got into an argument with a suspected fare evader, and shot him after he threatened him with a knife. His condition is critical.

New York authorities have made reducing crime on the subway and buses a priority after a series of violent attacks, robberies and murders. Reducing fare evasion is part of that pressure.

But critics have questioned how the pursuit of a petty criminal escalated into the use of deadly force in a crowded area.

Tom Donlon, the city’s interim police commissioner, ordered a full investigation but added: “Make no mistake, the events that took place… were the result of an armed robber”.

None of those involved have been named by the police.

Jennvine Wong, of the Legal Aid Society Cop Accountability Project, told the New York Times that the police had put people’s lives at risk after choosing to “in a confined space … use disproportionate force”.

In a press conference, NYPD Chief Jeffrey Maddrey said two officers saw a man pass the barriers without paying.

Mr Maddrey said body camera footage showed the suspect threatening to “kill” police if they followed him, before confronting them with a knife.

The photo shows the train entering the station as the confrontation escalates. Police fired Tasers at the man – to no avail – as he tried to board the train, before he jumped back onto the platform.

“He approached one of the officers with his knife,” said Mr Maddrey. “The officer is standing back, pulling out his weapon, and both officers are shooting.”

Two bystanders, a police officer and a suspect, were hit.

Mr Maddrey said the officer realized he had been shot in the armpit but continued to perform “lifesaving measures” on the suspect. Both of these officers then realized that two people who were standing near them had been shot with guns. Then two other policemen came to help the injured.

Officials said the suspect has a record of 20 prior arrests and a significant history of mental illness.

Janno Liever, the chief executive officer of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, said that this incident “started because someone wanted to come with a weapon, a person with a criminal record and a history of violence and even gun charges. “.

The police said that a knife was found on Sunday, and posted a picture on social media. However, the next day he wrote another message saying that the knife was taken by an unknown person.

The city authorities have tried to increase the police presence in the transport system following the increase in crime. All stations in the city system have security cameras and driving systems are operated to scan passengers for weapons.

The MTA last year announced a campaign to ban fares, backed by police enforcement. Officials say enforcement could help catch criminals and remove weapons from New York trains.

But the problem continues to grow, as NYPD figures show 2,227 arrests and more than 30,000 summonses in the second quarter of this year – almost twice as many as the same period five years ago.