The enforcement of subway fare evasion turned bloody on Sunday in a neighborhood where many people can’t afford basic needs, much less the cost to ride the train every day.

Police say that a man suspected of not paying the subway fare did not follow instructions and threatened officers with a knife.

New York authorities have made reducing crime on the subway and buses a top priority following a series of violent attacks, robberies and murders. A crackdown on fare evasion is part of that push. But critics have questioned how the pursuit of a minor offender escalated into the use of lethal force in a crowded space.