Early Sunday morning, a New York man, identified as 38-year-old Courtney Gordon of the Bronx, stabbed four family members to death and injured two police officers before being shot and killed by authorities, according to the New York Police Department (NYPD).
The incident unfolded after a teenage girl called 911 around 5:10 a.m., reporting that her cousin was killing family members. NYPD officers were dispatched to a multi-family home at 467 Beach 22nd Street.
Upon their arrival, officers encountered Gordon attempting to leave the premises with luggage. In a brief 10-second encounter, Gordon drew a knife and attacked the officers, stabbing one in the neck/chest area and striking the other in the head. A veteran officer with nearly 30 years of service then shot Gordon, who was pronounced dead.
Before leaving the home, Gordon set a fire, requiring the fire department to extinguish the flames before police could enter. Inside the residence, officers discovered five stabbing victims. A 12-year-old boy, a man in his 30s, and a 44-year-old woman were pronounced dead at the scene. An 11-year-old girl and a 61-year-old woman were found injured, with the 11-year-old later pronounced dead at a local hospital. The 61-year-old woman is in critical condition.
The injured officers, both in critical but stable condition, were transported to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center. Gordon, also transported to a local hospital, was pronounced dead.
While authorities have not released the victims’ identities, they believe all the deceased individuals were related. The chaotic scene highlighted the unpredictable nature of police responses, involving multiple victims, a burning house, and a violent individual on a rampage, according to Police Benevolent Association President Patrick Hendry.