Police Kill Man Who Held Knife to Father's Throat, NYPD Says – NBC New York

A young boy was found dead and his parents were stabbed in their Queens apartment by a man shot by police Thursday night, NYPD officials said.

The tragic incident remains under investigation, but police said the 20-year-old man suspected of instigating the July 4 violence was confronted by police and shot dead with a single gunshot.

Officers responded to the Jamaica Building on 94th Avenue around 5:30 p.m. after the boy's mother ran outside bleeding and screaming for help, NYPD Chief John Chell said at a news conference.

Officers rushed to the fifth floor of the family's apartment, where Chell said they entered and found the 20-year-old suspect holding his father by the head and holding a knife to his neck. Officers gave the man several commands to drop the knife, in English and Spanish, but they were ignored, the chief said.

Chell would not say how the 8-year-old boy died, but sources said he had multiple stab wounds to the chest.

His mother, aged 29, and father, aged 43, were being treated for stab wounds. The 20-year-old man was taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead.

There was also an 8-month-old baby inside the apartment during the ordeal, but Chell said the infant was physically unharmed.

The circumstances of the violent attacks and what may have motivated the suspect are still under investigation.