Explosion Injures Officers in Queens Incident
At least eight police officers were hurt in an explosion on Thursday in Queens, New York. This occurred after they responded to reports of a man with a knife threatening individuals in a home.
New York City Police Department Chief Christopher McIntosh mentioned during a morning briefing that the officers were called to a domestic dispute where a man was wielding a knife in the Ozone Park area.
Later, Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch shared alarming body camera footage. It captured officers moving towards the house when a sudden explosion occurred, knocking them back. One officer can be heard asking, “What’s his name?” just seconds before the blast.
According to one officer, “The man had just set the house on fire. There was an explosion.” Amid the chaos, officers were seen helping children escape the scene while ensuring safety for other residents.
Tisch commented on their bravery, stating, “Here is a video of the heroic actions taken by NYPD members this morning… They had just been thrown to the ground by the explosion and decided to keep going, focusing on getting the people inside out.”
Earlier, at a press conference, McIntosh revealed that officers received a 911 call around 2:42 a.m. regarding a domestic dispute where knives were involved. A family member of the victim reported that a male relative had shown up at the home, intoxicated and armed with a knife. Additionally, there was a gas smell in the house.
The suspect, identified as 50-year-old Anroop Parasaram, allegedly went into the basement and began threatening residents with the knife.
McIntosh explained that at 2:57 a.m., while officers attempted to enter the home, a large, violent explosion occurred, causing chaos and throwing several officers off their feet.
Despite this, officers pushed into the flames to rescue those still inside. Eight officers were treated for minor burns, with one requiring stitches for a head injury.
McIntosh noted, “We were very lucky today. This could have gone really differently.” He mentioned that they had yet to locate Parasaram, who was reported as missing. It was revealed that he arrived at the house with a gas can and several bags containing unknown materials.
John Esposito from the New York City Fire Department stated in a press conference that 16 individuals from the affected home and nearby locations were evacuated due to the fire.
New York City Mayor Zoran Mamdani commented on the situation, sharing, “I have been briefed on this horrific situation… Multiple people were injured and had to be evacuated.” He expressed gratitude to the NYPD and firefighters for their rapid response under challenging circumstances and wished for a speedy recovery for the injured personnel.
Mamdani added that teams were still working to clear debris and account for any missing persons as the investigation continued.
