Four people are stabbed to death as 13-year-old is left in critical condition after domestic dispute turned deadly in New York City: Suspect sets house on fire as he flees before being killed

Cops descended on a Queens home set ablaze Sunday morning after a stabbing that left four dead, two officers injured, and a 13-year-old in critical condition.

A male suspect was fatally shot in the lower extremity during cops' response to the apparent domestic dispute - which happened at 467 Beach 22nd St in Far Rockaway just after 5am.

The suspect is now dead, while three victims were pronounced dead at the scene during cops'  response. A fourth person stabbed died shortly after, while another three were taken to a local hospital.

All, including the unnamed teenage girl, were in critical condition as of 8am.

Dozens of cops remained on the scene into the morning, as well as firefighters who responded a fire at the residence first reported around 5:17am. Within minutes, the fire was knocked down, and officers were seen removing several victims. The incident, believed to be a domestic dispute, remains under investigation.

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'I heard pop pop pop,' one neighbor told amNewYork of the early-morning incident, as preliminary reports indicate that police shot the suspect outside the home before discovering additional victims inside the residence. 

'It woke me up out my sleep and then I heard the sirens. It is scary,' the witness added.

Radio chatter indicated more of the same, as firefighters were heard telling dispatchers they removed at least one person with minor injuries from the scene.

The four victims, meanwhile, were all stabbed to death, with three dying before officers even arrived. The fourth, reportedly a 12-year-old girl, died after being brought to a hospital, sources told The Daily News.

Those same sources said the suspect is now deceased, after cops encountered him leaving the home after receiving reports of a man wielding a knife.

During that encounter, the armed man is said to have lunged at cops, slashing two of them before being shot himself.

Officials added he started the fire as he fled, and that the home's sprinkler was able to keep the blaze contained.

The two officers slashed were then taken to Jamaica Hospital while the suspect was also hospitalized, the lawmen with non-life-threatening injuries.

Police are now asking the public to stay clear of the area as they continue to probe the incident, which sparked a prominent police response and saw portions of the Van Wyck closed.

Sources familiar with the matter told outlets like The News, amNewYork, and ABC 7 that cops first received reports of the person wielding the knife during a domestic dispute, but did not offer any additional details.

Several described hearing gunshots during police's response to the dispute, during which police officers shot the suspect, before discovering the additional victims with multiple, unspecified injuries. 

The incident, as of 9am, remains under investigation with the NYPD. DailyMail.com has reached out the department for comment.