7 fatalities and multiple injuries in Queens stabbing and fire incident, suspect found deceased
Four people, including two children, tragically lost their lives in a devastating stabbing incident in Far Rockaway, Queens Additionally, one person remains in critical condition while two brave police officers were injured responding to the scene The suspect involved in the incident has been confirmed deceased
Four people, including two children, are dead and one person is critically injured following a stabbing incident in Far Rockaway, Queens on Sunday morning. Two police officers were also injured while responding to the home, where a fire occurred. The suspect is also deceased.
The victims include an 11-year-old girl, a 12-year-old boy, a 44-year-old woman, and a man in his 30s. Police believe they were all family members.
Shortly after 5 a.m., the police received a 911 call from a young woman reporting that her cousin was harming her family members, said New York City Police Department Chief Jeffrey Maddrey at a Sunday morning press conference.
When the officers arrived at a residential block in Queens, they spotted a man leaving with luggage as they pulled into the driveway, Maddrey reported.
The suspect pulled out a kitchen steak knife and attacked the officers, stabbing one in the neck and chest and striking the other in the head, according to the chief. One of the officers then used his weapon to fatally shoot the suspect, Maddrey stated. Maddrey praised the actions of the officers, who have served for 28 and 16 years, respectively.
"They could have just let the person with his luggage pass by, but instead, they took the initiative to ask some questions and gather information before going in," he explained. "Unfortunately, they encountered the perpetrator and he attacked them."
The officers sustained non-life-threatening injuries and were taken to the hospital, but are expected to make a full recovery, according to the police.
An 11-year-old girl, found in front of the house, succumbed to her injuries, according to police.
A fire in the living room and foyer area initially prevented police from entering the home, but fire officials were able to quickly extinguish the fire. The suspect is believed to have set a couch on fire while leaving the home, as per the police.
Following the extinguishing of the fire, authorities discovered the bodies of three individuals inside the residence: a 12-year-old boy, a 44-year-old woman, and a man in his 30s. It is believed by police that all three individuals died from stab wounds, stated Maddrey.
Additionally, a 61-year-old woman is currently in critical condition at Mt. Sinai Hospital, as reported by Joseph Kenny, Chief of Detectives for the NYPD.
During the news conference, Kenny revealed that the suspect in the stabbing is a 38-year-old resident of the Bronx. According to Kenny, the suspect has a prior arrest for a domestic violence incident involving strangulation in the Bronx. While Kenny mentioned that the incident appears to be family related, the police are still conducting an investigation. In addition, the 911 caller is currently being interviewed by the police.
Far Rockaway is a long inlet along the shore of Long Island, in the southernmost part of Queens in New York.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
CNNs Paradise Afshar contributed to this report.
