Queens stabbing spree: Man who killed 4 of NYC family including 2 children and set home ablaze shot dead

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Courtney Gordon, 38, reportedly went on a stabbing spree on December 3, as he attacked five relatives in their home with a steak knife, killing four. He also set fire to the house and stabbed two police officers before being gunned down by the cops.

Among those dead were two children, reported the New York Post. The horrific incident took place in Far Rockaway, Queens.

Who was Courtney Gordon?

A resident of Bronx, Gordon was visiting his relatives when he snapped and went on the rampage, said NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny.

"He has one prior arrest, and that was for a strangulation domestic violence incident that took place in the Bronx," Kenny added.

Gordon's mother and sister told CBS News that he battled mental health issues. The family tried to get him help but did not succeed. He used to live in a homeless shelter and had recently moved in with his aunt in Queens.

"I don't know what (is) wrong, but something is wrong, because if anything wasn't wrong, he wouldn't have done something like this," his mother told the outlet.

Mentioning that Gordon had spoken to her the day before the tragedy, she continued, "He just said, 'Mama, I love you,' I said, 'I love you too son.' He texted me and told me how much he loved me."

The reason for Gordon's sudden violence is being investigated by the police.

What went down at the Queens residence?

According to the NYPD, officers received a 911 call from a young girl who said that her cousin “was killing her family members” in their home. She then reportedly jumped out of a window to escape.

When two uniformed officers responded to the scene, they saw Gordon trying to leave the two-story house with his luggage. As they tried to talk to him, Gordon pulled out a knife and stabbed one officer in the neck and another in the head.

One of the officers, a 28-year NYPD veteran, then shot and killed the suspect, NYPD Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey said during a press conference.

The suspect had likely set a couch on fire while trying to make a run for it, and the police had to wait for the fire department to put out the blaze before being able to go inside the house.

An 11-year-old girl who was stabbed dead was discovered outside the home, while inside were three other fatally stabbed victims, a 12-year-old boy, a 44-year-old woman, and a man in his 30s.

Another victim, a 61-year-old woman, was stabbed but found alive. She has been taken to a local hospital where she remains in critical condition.

Describing the scene, Police Benevolent Association President Patrick Hendry told reporters that it was "chaos; multiple victims, a house on fire and a madman on a rampage, on a mission."

Gordon was taken to the hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival.

The two injured police officers were admitted to Jamaica Hospital, where they underwent treatment and were released the following day.