In a horrific and tragic incident, four members of a family, including two children, were brutally stabbed to death at their home in Queens early Sunday morning. The suspect responsible for this heinous act also set fire to the house and then went on to stab two police officers who arrived at the scene, before being fatally shot by one of them, according to Police Department officials.
The horrifying chain of events began at around 5:10 a.m. when the police received an emergency call from a young woman who reported that her cousin was in the process of killing her family members, as stated by Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey at a news conference on Sunday morning.
Upon arrival at the location in the Far Rockaway neighborhood, two officers encountered a man leaving with luggage. When they attempted to stop him, the man attacked them with a steak knife, stabbing one officer in the head and the other in the neck, before being shot by one of the officers.
The suspect was rushed to a hospital where he was pronounced dead, and the injured officers were taken to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center for treatment, with Chief Maddrey noting that their wounds were not life-threatening.
As more officers arrived at the scene, they discovered the tragic aftermath of the attack. An 11-year-old girl was found deceased outside the house, which had been set on fire, delaying entry by authorities until the flames had been extinguished. Inside, three more victims were found dead – a 12-year-old boy, a 44-year-old woman, and a man in his 30s, all of whom had been fatally stabbed. A 61-year-old woman was also found with multiple stab wounds and was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital for treatment.
Identified as the suspect behind the harrowing incident is 38-year-old Courtney Gordon, who the police believe was a resident of the Bronx and was visiting family members in Queens. The motive for the attack is currently under investigation, with the 911 caller also being questioned by authorities.
This heartbreaking and senseless act of violence has left the community in shock and mourning, and our thoughts are with the loved ones of the victims as they navigate this unimaginable tragedy.