Death – Obituary – Accident and Crime News : New York police shot and killed a man on Sunday after he allegedly carried out a violent rampage that included stabbing four family members, setting a building on fire, and attacking two police officers. The incident occurred in the Far Rockaway section of Queens, prompting a swift response from law enforcement.
According to New York Police Department Chief of Patrol Jeffrey Maddrey, officers received a distressing 911 call from a woman who reported that her cousin was attacking her family. Two officers who were patrolling the area quickly arrived at the scene, where they encountered a man carrying luggage. As they approached him, the situation escalated when the man brandished a knife and began stabbing the officers.
During the altercation, one officer was struck in the neck, while the other was stabbed in the face. In response, one of the officers fired his weapon, fatally shooting the suspect, identified as 38-year-old Courtney Gordon. Gordon, who was visiting family from the Bronx, was pronounced dead upon arrival at a local hospital.
Further investigation revealed that prior to leaving the scene, Gordon had set a couch on fire, resulting in a blaze that engulfed the living room and foyer area of the building. Firefighters arrived to extinguish the flames and discovered three additional victims inside the residence. Tragically, an 11-year-old girl who had sustained stab wounds later succumbed to her injuries at the hospital. The other victims, a 12-year-old boy, a 44-year-old woman, and a man in his 30s, were found fatally stabbed.
A 61-year-old woman was also discovered with multiple stab wounds and remains in critical condition at Mount Sanai Hospital. Authorities believe that Gordon used a typical kitchen steak knife during the attack, which was the only weapon recovered at the scene. Investigators are now working to determine if this knife was used to harm all of the victims.
The two officers injured in the incident were transported to Jamaica Hospital and are expected to recover from their injuries. The chaotic and violent nature of the scene prompted Patrick Hendry, the head of the New York Police Department’s police union, to describe it as a “madman on a rampage, on a mission.”
This devastating incident follows other recent acts of violence in New York City, including the stabbing deaths of two young children in a Bronx apartment. The city is grappling with a surge in violent crimes, prompting increased concerns for public safety and the need for enhanced measures to address these troubling trends.