A horrific incident unfolded early Sunday in the Far Rockaway neighborhood of Queens, New York, where at least four people, including two children aged 11 and 12, lost their lives in a knife attack. The suspect, identified as 38-year-old Courtney Gordon, allegedly went on a violent spree, setting fire to a couch in the residence and attacking two police officers with a kitchen knife before being fatally shot.
The tragic episode began around 5 a.m. when the New York Police Department received a distressing 911 call reporting a domestic violence incident. According to Chief of Department Jeff Maddrey, two patrol officers, both seasoned veterans, responded to the call and confronted Gordon, who was seen carrying luggage from the residence. As they questioned him, Gordon allegedly attacked the officers with a kitchen knife.
During the assault, one officer suffered slashes to the neck and chest, while the other sustained a head injury. Despite their injuries, the 28-year department veteran managed to draw his weapon and shoot Gordon, ending the attack. However, due to a fire ignited in the living room, officers couldn’t immediately enter the house.
The New York City Fire Department arrived to extinguish the blaze, revealing a gruesome scene inside. Three individuals, including a 12-year-old boy, a 44-year-old woman, and a man in his 30s, were found fatally stabbed in two back bedrooms of the residence. A 61-year-old woman was also discovered stabbed and in critical condition, taken to Mount Sinai Hospital in Queens.
Gordon, a Bronx resident visiting relatives in Queens, had a prior arrest related to a strangulation domestic violence incident. The motive behind the stabbing rampage remains under investigation.
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During a news conference, Patrick Henry, president of the New York City Police Benevolent Association, highlighted the chaotic nature of the scene and praised the injured officers for their brave response, emphasizing the potential tragedy if they hadn’t intervened. The identities of the victims are being withheld pending notification of their relatives, and the community is left grappling with the aftermath of this senseless act of violence.