An NYPD officer patrolling a public housing complex shot and killed a man he encountered in a stairwell.

The NYPD is investigating the circumstances that led to the shooting around 11:15 p.m. Thursday inside of 2724 Linden Boulevard (Pink Houses), within the confines of the 75 Precinct. The man’s friend tells the Daily News the shooting was unprompted and he was unarmed.

Police say two officers were conducting “a vertical patrol” in the Pink Houses complex in the East New York neighborhood when they encountered the man between the seventh and eighth floors.

While descending the dimly lit stairwell from the eighth floor landing, the officers encountered a 28-year-old male who entered the stairwell at the seventh floor. One officer discharged one round from his service weapon, striking the male in the chest. EMS responded to the location and transported the male to Brookdale Hospital, where he was pronounced DOA. The officers were transported to Jamaica Hospital for treatment of tinnitus. The investigation is ongoing.

(Chaim Shapiro – YWN)