A man armed with a steak knife fatally stabbed four members of his extended family, including two children, at a home in the borough of Queens in New York City on Sunday, reported Reuters.
The violent rampage took place before dawn at a house in Far Rockaway, a seaside section of Queens.
At a morning press briefing, NYPD Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey stated that a “young female caller” called 911 saying that her cousin was killing her family, prompting police to be sent to the house at about 5:10 a.m.
Police arrived at the scene and the suspect, a 38-year-old, stabbed two officers before being shot dead.
According to police, the suspect had a previous arrest for domestic violence. Two injured officers were taken to the hospital and were expected to recover. The four victims of the stabbing included a 12-year-old boy, an 11-year-old girl, a 44-year-old woman, and a man in his 30s.
The 11-year-old was found outside the house, while the other three were found inside bedrooms.
A fifth victim, a 61-year-old woman, was also stabbed and was in critical condition in the hospital. The suspect started a fire in the living room, causing the officers to wait for the fire department before entering the home.
The police did not disclose the identity of the perpetrator nor any motive for the killings.