Maspeth, Middle Village & Ridgewood

Crime & Mayhem

Suicidal Man Shoots at Cops in Queens, Kills Self

March 12, 2012 9:54am | Updated March 12, 2012 9:54am
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QUEENS — A suicidal man who barricaded himself in his Glendale home fired at cops Sunday before fatally shooting himself in the chest, police said.

Mark Vasquez, 34, locked himself in his house at 70-07 68th St. and threatened to kill himself when cops arrived there Sunday about 6:30 p.m., police said.

Armed with a Glock semi-automatic, Vasquez fired off three shots at cops, an NYPD spokesman said.

Officers at the scene did not return fire, police said.

At some point during the nearly four-hour standoff, Vasquez shot himself in the chest, police said. He was pronounced dead at the scene. No officers were injured, police said.

Vasquez did not leave a suicide note. A police source said he was going through a divorce with his estranged wife, who called 911.

She was not home or hurt Sunday, cops said. The couple did not have children, the source said.

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