A New York City man is in custody after brutally attacking and killing a mother with a hammer, while leaving her two young children fighting for their lives on Wednesday, according to police.
NYPD Chief of Patrol John Chell described the incident during a press conference Wednesday afternoon as a "horrific" and "senseless act of violence."
At about 1:50 p.m., officers from the 72nd Precinct responded to an apartment at 52nd Street near 5th Avenue in Sunset Park.
When the officers arrived, they quickly apprehended the suspect who was trying to walk out of the building and placed him under arrest.
Chell said the suspect had blood all over his body at the time of his arrest.
The officers then went to the apartment on the second floor of the building and discovered three victims who were "seriously" injured. An initial investigation determined all three victims were attacked by a hammer.
The three victims — a 43-year-old married mother, her 5-year-old son, and 3-year-old daughter — were taken to a local hospital, where the mother was pronounced dead.
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The two children, Chell added, are now fighting for their lives.
The mother and her two children occupied a room in the three-room apartment. The suspect and his 9-year-old son occupied another room, while a third person occupied the third room.
"I think I can speak for all the officers when I can say our community, our prayers are with this family at this time," Chell said.
No other information was available, and the investigation is ongoing.
