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FULL: NYPD provides update on Far Rockaway barricade incident
The NYPD updated the media on Saturday after a suspect was taken into custody following reports of shots fired and an armed barricade situation in Far Rockaway, Queens.
NEW YORK - Police shot and critically injured a 33-year-old man who emerged from a burning Far Rockaway residence armed with a shotgun shortly after an explosion rocked the home on Saturday afternoon, NYPD officials said Saturday during a press conference.
What we know:
At approximately 12 p.m., patrol officers from the 101st Precinct responded to 2533 Ocean Crest Boulevard following a 911 call reporting shots fired inside the home. The caller stated her husband was armed and had a history of mental illness.
Upon arrival, officers met the suspect's wife outside. She reported hearing gunshots, seeing a body on a bed inside and warned officers that her husband was armed with a shotgun. Officers secured the perimeter and called for Emergency Service Unit (ESU) support while attempting to speak with the man inside, though no contact could be established.
As ESU officers prepared to enter the home around 12:15 p.m., a large, fiery explosion erupted from the residence, officials said. Within 15 to 20 seconds, the suspect exited the house wearing a tactical vest loaded with extra ammunition and carrying a shotgun.
After failing to comply with repeated verbal commands to raise his hands and drop his weapon, officers discharged their firearms, striking the suspect, according to NYPD officials.
Police immediately rendered aid and took the suspect into custody. He was transported to Jamaica Hospital, where he reportedly remains in critical but stable condition.
Respondent officers were also taken to an area hospital for evaluation, officials said. Officers evacuated nearby homes to ensure neighbors' safety as firefighters worked the scene.
According to Assistant Chief Christopher McIntosh, the suspect has no prior criminal record or documented mental health history with the department.
Inside the home, which was rapidly engulfed in flames, investigators discovered the bodies of two deceased family members.
What we don't know:
Authorities are still working to identify the victims and determine their exact cause of death.
What's next:
The incident was captured on body-worn camera footage, and the investigation remains ongoing by the NYPD's Force Investigation Division.
The Source: Information from the NYPD.