July 28, 2026 QUEENS, NY A quiet Far Rockaway neighborhood transformed into a horrific warzone on Saturday afternoon when a gunman allegedly executed his own mother and sister before torching the family residence in a massive, fiery explosion.
The suspect, 33-year-old Kegan Thomas, now faces an overwhelming slate of charges including five counts of murder, attempted murder, arson, criminal possession of a weapon, and two counts of aggravated cruelty to animals after the family's dog and cat perished in the flames.
A Frantic 911 Call Signals Pure Terror
The horrifying ordeal began just before noon at a home on Oceancrest Boulevard. A desperate 911 call from Thomas’ wife alerted authorities to an active nightmare unfolding inside the residence.
According to NYPD Assistant Chief Christopher McIntosh, the panicked wife begged for help, warning dispatchers that her husband was armed, suffered from mental illness, and was chanting the horrifying phrase: "Kill, kill them, kill them."
When officers from the 101st Precinct arrived on the scene, they found the terrified woman outside. She informed officers that she had investigated gunshots inside the home, discovered a lifeless body on a bed, and fled for her life, warning police that Thomas was armed with a shotgun.
Explosive Standoff and Tactical Armor
Reinforcements from the NYPD’s Emergency Service Unit rushed to the scene and attempted to establish communication with the barricaded gunman. Negotiation attempts failed almost immediately.
Moments later, a massive explosion tore through the home as Thomas allegedly set the property ablaze.
Within 15 to 20 seconds of the blast, Thomas stormed out of the engulfed structure wearing a heavy tactical vest stuffed with spare ammunition and brandishing his shotgun. Ignoring repeated police commands to drop the weapon, Thomas raised the gun toward officers, prompting responding cops to open fire.
Hit at least five times by police gunfire, Thomas survived the hail of bullets—a miracle police credit to the very tactical vest he wore during the assault. EMS rushed him to Jamaica Hospital, where he remains under heavy guard while recovering from his wounds.
