Queens, NY – A violent afternoon in Flushing ended with one woman dead, a teenager wounded, and a person of interest in custody after police discovered a stabbing and fire inside a Smart Street home on Thursday.
Officers were called to 45-18 Smart Street at about 3:30 p.m. following a 911 report of an assault. When they arrived, they found the residence engulfed in flames. Firefighters quickly moved in to extinguish the blaze before authorities uncovered the grisly scene inside.
A 50-year-old woman, later identified as Qiujin Shi, was discovered unconscious with a stab wound to the abdomen. She was rushed to New York-Presbyterian Queens Hospital in critical condition, where she was pronounced dead.
Also found at the location was a 17-year-old male suffering from multiple stab wounds across his body. He was transported to the same hospital and is reported to be in stable condition.
Police confirmed that a person of interest has been taken into custody, although no charges have been announced yet.
Detectives from the 109th Precinct and the FDNY fire marshals are working together to determine how the fire began and whether it was connected to the assault.