Man allegedly slashes children with meat cleaver, then is shot by cops 

A man was shot by police officers after he slashed four young female relatives with a large meat cleaver inside a Bensonhurst home on April 6, officials said.

At around 10:15 a.m., Lun Chang Chen, 49, allegedly started to attack the girls, ages 8, 11, 13 and 16, with the weapon inside their home on 84th Street between 16 and 17th avenues.

Cops said when they got inside the home, they saw Chen standing near the entrance with the cleaver, and the floor and walls covered in blood. After he refused to drop his weapon, Chen went towards two officers, who fired seven rounds at him, police said.

The four girls had stab wounds and were taken to Maimonides Medical Center, and are all expected to survive.

Chen was also taken to the hospital and was listed in critical condition.

Along with the cleaver, police recovered a bloody knife in another room.

During a press conference near the home, NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch revealed more details from the incident and said that a fifth child, an 11-year-old, made the call to police.

“The 11-year-old caller stated that her siblings had been stabbed by her uncle,” Tisch told reporters. “She did not know her address. Quick-thinking police communications technicians at the 911 call center used the technology at their disposal to get an address from the location of the phone that the child was using.”

Motive and the exact relationship of the victims are under investigation, officials said.

Tisch also said that according to family members, Chen has a history of mental illness.

The cops who were on the scene were taken to NYU Langone Hospital—Brooklyn for evaluation.

“Here is the bottom line: Right now, we have four children who are still alive because of the quick thinking and decisive action of your NYPD officers and EMTs,” she said.  “I want to thank and commend all involved: responding officers, EMS, the 911 call center personnel hospital, staff and everyone who worked together to save these girls’ lives. These are true heroes, and they did an exceptional job today.”

Elected officials also responded to the violent crime.

“This senseless act of violence has shaken us all, and my thoughts are with the victims and their families during this incredibly difficult time,” Assemblymember Lester Chang said. “Our community deserves to feel safe in their neighborhoods, and we must stand together to ensure that violent acts like this are met with swift justice. As we move forward, let’s continue to support one another, stand up against violence, and push for greater safety measures in our communities.”

“It’s a tragic event reminiscent of another event that happened in Sunset Park a number of years ago,” said State Sen. Steve Chan. “Mental illness affects all communities and must be addressed. Thank heavens no lives were lost. At this point, I’ve reached out in person to the family to offer the resources of my office for their assistance.”