Queens man charged with murder after shooting mother, sister and blowing up Far Rockaway home

Kegan Thomas, 33, faces murder, arson and animal cruelty charges after allegedly killing his mother and sister before detonating their shared Queens home Saturday.

Queens suspect charged with murder in fatal Far Rockaway family shooting and home explosion

Kegan Thomas, 33, was charged Tuesday with murder, attempted murder, arson, aggravated cruelty to animals and criminal possession of a weapon, according to the NY Post Metro — days after he allegedly shot his mother and sister dead inside their Far Rockaway home before triggering a massive explosion that destroyed the building.

Thomas remained hospitalized in critical but stable condition at Jamaica Hospital on Tuesday, having been shot by responding officers during the Saturday afternoon incident on Ocean Crest Boulevard near Hartman Lane in Queens.

His mother, Clemer Ponce, 56, was struck by a gunshot to the chest. His sister, Selema Ponce, 28, was shot in the shoulder. Both died as a result of their injuries, police said.

The animal cruelty charges stem from the deaths of one dog and one cat, both of which perished from smoke inhalation in the fire that followed the explosion, authorities said.

Thomas's wife placed the initial 911 call, warning dispatchers that her husband — who she described as having "a history with mental illness" — had killed the two women and that he was armed with a shotgun, Assistant Chief Christopher McIntosh said.

Officers from the NYPD's Emergency Services Unit were preparing to force entry into the residence when, in McIntosh's words, "a large fiery explosion erupted from the house." They then encountered Thomas outside, wearing a bulletproof vest and refusing to drop his weapon.

"After failing to comply with repeat commands to put his hands up and still armed [with] the shotgun, officers discharged their weapons and struck the suspect," McIntosh said.

Despite the severity of Saturday's incident, McIntosh noted that Thomas had no prior criminal record or mental health history on file with the NYPD. Neighbors, however, told the NY Post Metro on Monday that Thomas had long displayed erratic behavior and that domestic violence in the household was a frequent occurrence.

The timing of his arraignment had not been confirmed as of Tuesday evening, prosecutors said.

Source: NY Post Metro