A dad has been killed and both his daughters stabbed in a suspected home invasion.
Police launched an investigation after 61-year-old Carlo Secondino was found with fatal stab wounds in his second-floor apartment in Brooklyn, New York, US.
His 19-year-old daughter was found with grievous injuries throughout her body and was rushed to hospital in critical condition.
The victim's other daughter, 22, was found with cuts to her hand, and told police two men forced their way into the home before attacking the family.
She claimed they demanded money from the safe but cops have said there is no safe in the house.
Police are still trying to work out the exact events that led to the death but so far no arrests have been made. The 22-year-old is being questioned and are searching for surveillance to support her claims.
They were called to the house just before 6am.
The 19-year-old remains in critical care, fighting for her life.
Detectives have been seen going in and out of the home throughout the day as well as interviewing neighbours.
Neighbour Johnny Xue told reporters: "My roommate was leaving for work at 7am, and he just, when he left, he just called me saying that pretty much the whole street was closed and that pretty much something happened, someone was killed."
Another neighbour Joe Pagano knew the family. He said: "Two daughters and a father, that's all I know, really. They kept to themselves, you know. I don't know much about them.
"I've been here 12 years, and they've been here just as long."
Yadira Gomez, who co-owns Mike’s Diner where Secondino worked as a deliveryman, told the New York Post : “These girls were abandoned by their mom when they were little, so he was the only one there as a mother figure and father figure.
“Everybody loved that guy here. It’s a big loss for everybody. He would work. He never said no to nothing, helped everybody.”
The investigation is ongoing. New York Post have reported that the sources claim the murder may have been planned.
Although overall crime is up in the city New York Police Department data shows that NYC has seen a 17 per cent drop in shootings and an over 12 per cent drop in homicides, since January.
