NEW YORK, Dec 4: A violent incident shook Far Rockaway, Queens, on Sunday morning when a man from the Bronx, identified as 38-year-old Courtney Gordon, fatally stabbed four family members, including two children, before assaulting two responding officers. The tragic events unfolded along Beach 22nd Street, where CBS New York witnessed the aftermath. Residents reported hearing gunshots around 5 a.m., prompting a 911 call from a girl who witnessed her cousin stabbing family members.

Gordon, visiting family in Far Rockaway, was confronted by officers at the end of the driveway. During a brief conversation, he drew a knife and attacked both officers, injuring them. A 28-year veteran officer shot and killed Gordon in response. Inside the residence, the police found an 11-year-old girl, a 12-year-old boy, a 44-year-old woman, and a man in his 30s, all deceased with stab wounds. A 61-year-old woman with stab wounds was in critical condition.

Before leaving the house, Gordon set a couch on fire, requiring firefighters' assistance for entry. A neighbor reported hearing an argument the night before the incident. The community, including neighbor Amisha Paul, expressed heartbreak over the tragedy. Paul's family had to evacuate due to the fire, and Walter White, whose daughter played with the deceased children, lamented the unfortunate turn of events.

Gordon had a prior arrest for a domestic incident in the Bronx involving strangulation. Some officers remained at the scene, while others showed support for an injured colleague released from Jamaica Hospital. The injured officer suffered a laceration to the face, and the 61-year-old woman remains in critical condition. Patrick Hendry, president of the Police Benevolent Association, acknowledged the officers' courageous response but emphasized the somber nature of the day, marked by the loss of multiple lives in a tragic family incident.