MANHATTAN — A telekinetic man was shot and killed Thursday by a former NYPD officer during a stand-off with FRONTLINE agents at World Center Mall's popular Fresco restaurant after the suspect took a woman hostage and made demands of his former employer.
Kenneth Pruitt, 30, was shot by Nocturne Ziadie, a retired NYPD officer, when Pruitt pulled a gun on Fresco manager David Huerta. Pruitt had been a waiter at the outdoor cafe for three months before losing his job in early September.
According to witnesses, Pruitt approached Huerta and demanded money owed to him, claiming that he never received his last paycheck and alleging that he was fired because he was evolved. Pruitt then used telekinesis to hold one woman over the glass barricade, threatening to drop her if he didn't receive what he wanted. Several of the patrons, including Magnes Varlane, tried to negotiate or even counsel the man, to no avail, police spokesman Mitch Jellerson said.
Emergency calls were made by at least two cell phones, and FRONTLINE responded within ten minutes.
Pruitt was shot three times to the chest, with a fourth bullet hitting the glass barrier. Prior to dying, Pruitt requested that two of his former coworkers, also fired after mandatory registration, be rehired. Huerta says the three were laid off due to the poor economy and that their Registration status had nothing to do with the loss of their jobs, but no non-Evolved employees were fired, according to waitress Jocelyn Sobieski.
Aside from Pruitt, only minor injuries were sustained by FRONTLINE director Elisabeth Harrison, when a table was thrown her way. Harrison was still able to knock Pruitt off balance as he attempted to shoot Huerta, prior to Ziadie's shots ending the standoff.