New York Man Goes on Killing Spree, Leaving 5 Dead, Including Suspect and 2 Young Children: Police
Man allegedly attacked family in Queens, leaving 5 dead, including himself, police said.
Dec. 5 2023, Published 3:08 p.m. ET
A man from New York fatally attacked four members of his family, including two children, and wounded two police officers before being fatally shot by law enforcement, according to authorities.
On Dec. 3, police received a call in the early morning hours from a young female who said her cousin was killing her family members in Queens, The New York Times reported.
Officers responding to the scene encountered a man in the driveway carrying luggage, officials said.
The man, later identified as 38-year-old Courtney Gordon, slashed two of the officers with a kitchen knife before one of the officers shot him, New York Police Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey said at a press conference.
Police then found an 11-year-old girl on the ground outside the home. She was rushed to a nearby hospital, where she was pronounced dead, authorities said.
Officials said Gordon set fire to a couch in the home's living room, which kept police outside the residence until firefighters could arrive and extinguish the blaze.
Once inside, officers found three more people suffering fatal stab wounds — a 44-year-old woman, a 30-year-old man and a 12-year-old boy, according to police.
The officers also found a 61-year-old woman inside with multiple stab wounds. She was taken to a local hospital, where she was listed in critical condition.
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The two officers that were stabbed suffered non-life-threatening injuries, according to officials.
Investigators said the officers were stabbed with a kitchen steak knife, which was found in the street after Gordon was killed. Detectives are working to determine if the same knife was used on the other victims.
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Gordon had a prior arrest for strangulation in another domestic violence incident, and he was believed to have been visiting family at the home, WABC reported.
The investigation is ongoing.
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