Police shot and killed a man armed with a knife on Thursday evening after he fatally attacked his 8-year-old brother and stabbed both of their parents in a Queens apartment, authorities said. The 8-year-old boy was also stabbed multiple times, according to multiple media reports.
Officers from NYPD responded to a call at "an extremely small" apartment at 147-25 94th Ave. in Jamaica just before 5:30 p.m. after the wounded mother ran outside "begging for her life," according to NYPD Chief John Chell. Inside, police found the 20-year-old attacker holding his father in a headlock over the kitchen sink with a knife at his throat, according to law enforcement sources.
Brutally Killed Brother
The tragic event is still being investigated, but authorities said that the 20-year-old man responsible for the July 4 violence was shot and killed by police. Officers arrived at the building on 94th Avenue in Jamaica around 5:30 p.m. after the bleeding mother ran outside screaming for help, NYPD Chief John Chell stated during a press briefing.
Upon reaching the family's fifth-floor apartment, officers found the suspect holding his father in a headlock, pressing a knife to his neck. Despite multiple orders in both English and Spanish to drop the knife, the suspect did not comply, according to Chief Chell.
"They gave repeated commands, both in English and Spanish, to drop the knife. He did not. One officer fired one round, striking the target, saving that man's life," said Chell.
The chief did not specify how the 8-year-old boy died, but sources indicated that he suffered multiple stab wounds to his chest.
Parents narrow Escape Death
The boy's 29-year-old mother and 43-year-old father were both being treated for their stab injuries. The 20-year-old assailant was transported to a hospital, where he was declared dead.
An 8-month-old baby was also present in the apartment during the harrowing incident, but Chief Chell confirmed that the infant was not physically harmed.
The situation began when the mother, injured and in desperate need of help, fled the apartment and attracted the attention of neighbors and passersby.
Police swiftly responded, entering the apartment and encountering the violent scene. Their efforts to de-escalate the situation failed, leading to the use of lethal force to protect the father and prevent further tragedy.
