What to Know
- Four people, including a five-year-old boy, were killed in what police said appears to be a triple murder-suicide in Queens
- The child, a man and two women were found dead in the home in Astoria about 8:30 p.m, according to the NYPD
- Everyone in the home had been shot; additionally, the man's throat had been slashed
UPDATE: Mystery Swirls Over Possible Motive in Astoria Triple Murder-Suicide
Four people, including a young boy, were killed in what police said appeared to be a triple-murder suicide in Queens Monday night.
One man, two women and the boy, approximately five years old, were found dead inside an eight-unit building after officers responded to the first-floor apartment at 30th Drive and 23rd Street about 8:30 p.m., NYPD Chief of Detectives Dermot Shea said at the scene.
Police said everyone in the home was shot. Additionally, the man had his throat slashed. All four people were declared dead at the scene.
A gun was recovered at the scene near the bodies, according to authorities. Officials were still poring over the apartment and backyard late Monday, and Shea cautioned the investigation was still in its preliminary stages.
It's unclear what spurred the violence or whether the deceased are related as officers worked to confirm the victims' identities.
Investigators also were interviewing the person who called 911 and examining data to determine whether police had received any relevant calls in the past from not only the apartment but the nearby area.
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"We don't want to leave any stone unturned," Shea said. "There are calls that we believe are going to be related to that building, but it's a little preliminary.
The investigation brought a throng of officers to the low-rise brick building, some in heavy tactical gear, as well as police dogs. Pedestrians and motorists are advised to avoid the area.
The investigation is ongoing.
