A man clad in tactical gear emerged from a Queens residence shortly after a fiery explosion shook the neighborhood on Saturday. This dramatic turn of events unfolded as officers from the New York City Police Department (NYPD) responded to an urgent 911 call reporting gunshots and a man ominously shouting, “kill them, kill them.”
The suspect, identified as 33-year-old Keegan Thompson, was taken into custody after being shot by police in the chaotic aftermath of the explosion, as confirmed by NYPD Assistant Chief Christopher McIntosh. Inside the home, authorities tragically discovered the bodies of two family members.
Police officers were dispatched to the scene on Ocean Crest Boulevard in Far Rockaway just after noon. The 911 call was made by a caller reporting her husband was armed, McIntosh explained.
Upon their arrival, officers were met outside by a woman who recounted hearing gunshots coming from inside the house. She described entering a room where she found a body lying motionless on a bed, prompting her hasty exit to call for help.
The woman also alerted officers that her husband was likely armed with a shotgun, adding to the urgency and sense of danger surrounding the situation, according to officials.
Family members and neighbors gather near an FDNY ambulance as emergency responders investigate a shooting, explosion and police-involved shooting at a home in the Far Rockaway neighborhood of Queens, N.Y., on Saturday. (Peter Gerber)
Officers established a perimeter, requested the NYPD Emergency Service Unit (ESU) and repeatedly attempted to contact the suspect, but were unable to establish communication.
At about 12:15 p.m., as ESU officers prepared to enter, a large explosion erupted from inside the home, McIntosh said.
Fifteen to 20 seconds later, the suspect emerged from the burning home carrying a shotgun while wearing a tactical vest loaded with additional ammunition.
Officers repeatedly ordered the suspect to raise his hands and drop the weapon, police said. When he failed to comply and continued holding the shotgun, an officer fired, striking him.
He was taken into custody, and officers rendered aid before he was taken to Jamaica Hospital, where he remains in critical but stable condition.
FILE — The NYPD said the incident remains under investigation and has not yet identified the two victims found dead inside the home. (Kyle Mazza/Anadolu via Getty Images)
McIntosh said Thompson has no criminal history or history of mental illness documented by the NYPD.
Officers later found two dead family members inside the home. The victims have not been identified, and investigators are working to determine their causes of death.
As flames engulfed the house, responding officers evacuated neighboring homes to protect nearby residents.
Investigators have not determined what caused the explosion. When asked whether explosives were involved, McIntosh said the investigation remains ongoing.
The shooting was captured on officers’ body-worn cameras and is being investigated by the NYPD’s Force Investigation Division.
“The bravery of the officers who responded today cannot be overstated,” McIntosh said. “They responded to a 911 call not knowing what was waiting for them, and they ran toward the danger with no hesitation.”