4 Young Girls Were Spending Time with Their Uncle. Then, 1 of Them Called 911 to Report a Stabbing

• A 49-year-old man was shot by New York Police Department (NYPD) officers on Sunday, April 6, after the NYPD says he’s believed to have left four girls with “serious slash and stab wounds” after being found holding a meat cleaver
• The NYPD responded to the scene in Brooklyn after an 11-year-old victim called 911 to report an “assault in progress” around 10:15 a.m. local time
• Police said all four girls are expected to recover from their injuries

A man allegedly attacked four young girls with a meat cleaver in Brooklyn, N.Y., before police shot and apprehended him — after one of the victims called 911.

The New York Police Department (NYPD) first responded to the scene at 1671 84th Street at around 10:15 a.m. local time on Sunday, April 6, after an 11-year-old girl called 911 to report an “assault in progress,” telling authorities that she and her siblings were “stabbed by her uncle,” NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said during a news conference later that day.

While the girl did not know her address, 911 technicians were able to get her phone’s location. When officers arrived at the residence in the Bensonhurst neighborhood, an “uninjured child” let police into the building’s first floor, Tisch said.

Police then forced their way into the girl’s apartment, kicking down the door. They encountered a “man standing near the entrance holding a large meat cleaver covered in blood,” according to the commissioner.

“The officers ordered the man to drop the weapon several times,” Tisch said, adding that the suspect “refused and advanced toward them.”

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Two officers then fired seven rounds at the suspect and struck him before “ending the threat,” Tisch said. Four girls — ages 8. 11. 13 and 16 — were found inside the apartment with “serious slash and stab wounds.”

The man involved has since been identified as 49-year-old Longqian Chen, whom the NYPD said is believed to be “a relative.” He was transported to a local hospital in critical condition on April 6, Tisch told reporters.

The NYPD did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request to clarify the spelling of the man’s name.

“At this time, all four children — thank God — are expected to survive,” Tisch said during the news conference. “But this could have ended very differently.”

After commending first responders, the police commissioner spoke about the “heroics of the children involved” — including both the 11-year-old victim who called 911 while she “hid in a room,” and the “young, uninjured boy” who alerted a neighbor. The police involved, who were taken to a hospital for evaluation, also are “going to be fine,” Tisch said.

Authorities have since recovered two knives from the scene, including a “large cleaver” in the man’s possession and “another bloody knife” located in a room. While the motive is “still under investigation,” family members told the NYPD that the suspect had a “history of mental illness.”

Police confirmed to reporters on April 6 that there was no prior history of domestic violence at the home.

“Right now, we have four children who are still alive because of the quick-thinking and decisive action of your NYPD officers and EMTs. I want to thank and commend all involved,” Tisch said.

The New York Post and the New York Daily News were the first to report on the attack. A neighbor, who identified herself to the Post as Maria, said she saw a girl “covered in blood” before seeing “another girl” under the same circumstances.

“I was shaking. I’m still shaking now,” the neighbor said. “I don’t usually see them. They just moved here. [I’ve] lived here seven years, and there are a lot of new people moving here.”

State Assemblyman Lester Chang also told local media, in a video shared by the Post, that a “male perpetrator” had been “shot by police” after authorities discovered “several” children covered in blood.

The Post shared images of the suspect being wheeled out on a stretcher after he was shot by authorities. The outlet also published an image of one apparent victim outside, who appeared to be covered in blood.

“They brought out a guy on a stretcher, all bloody without a shirt,” neighbor Humbert Huerta told the outlet. “I don’t know who it was, but they shot him twice. They took him out and put him in the ambulance.”