Loved ones of 49-year-old Gregory Delpeche say he has brain damage after NYPD officers accidentally shot him in the head in Brooklyn while he was taking the train to work on Sunday.

Police say officers were firing at a man who was lunging at them with a knife and refused to drop it. Delpeche's family believes cops acted recklessly.

“He's been with the Woodhull Hospital for 20 years, so he was on his way to work, and there's no reason why he should not make it to work,” Delpheche’s cousin, Greg Nougues, said at a press conference Wednesday. 

“When I got to the hospital, I saw that it was him, you know I broke down, but I had to control myself because I'm the one that, you know, that’s got to go through all of this and support him,” Nougues added. 

The incident happened around 3 p.m. at the Sutter Avenue L train station in Brownsville after police say a 37-year-old man jumped the turnstile and later advanced towards officers with a knife, threatening to kill the officers when they confronted him.  

Police say officers fired at and hit the 37-year-old several times after trying to tase him, but Delpeche and a police officer were also shot. Another bystander was grazed.   

Loved ones joined community leaders and attorneys for Delpeche at Brownsville Playground Wednesday to demand the NYPD release the body camera footage of the incident, launch a full investigation and suspend the officers who fired their weapons.  

“You can’t say that this was a mishap. You can’t say that this was simply a mistake,” said Keith White, a lawyer for the family. “Someone was shot in the head that was in another [subway] car, that was not present. And this person is a hardworking man.”

“As it stands today, we do not have a fair and a true story, and a full story of the events that happened. We only have their word,” attorney Nicholas Liakas added. 

One part of the story that is unaccounted for is the knife police say the 37-year-old used to threaten them. Police released surveillance photos of another man they say took the knife from the crime scene. 

Wednesday’s press conference came after New Yorkers took to the streets of Brownsville Tuesday night to demonstrate their outrage with the NYPD days after the incident. Eighteen people were taken into custody.  

“I want to also thank the protesters that [were] there last night. We have to get justice for Gregory Delpeche,” Nougues said. 

Mayor Eric Adams has defended the conduct of the officers, saying he has seen the video footage of the incident for himself. He also said the 37-year-old man has more than 20 prior run-ins with law enforcement

The 37-year-old man is being charged with attempted assault, menacing and criminal possession of a weapon. 

The officer who was shot, the second bystander and the 37-year-old are all expected to be OK. Family members for Delpeche, however, say his prognosis is unclear at this time.