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American Morning

Children Stabbed: 7-Year-Old in Critical Condition

Aired July 02, 2001 - 10:05   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Well, from that interesting tidbit to a very disturbing story out of Syracuse, New York today. A 7-year-old boy is in critical condition this morning with a horrific reality awaiting him if he does recover. His two brothers are dead, victims of a frenzied killing spree. The killer, police say, was the father. And he, too, is dead today, shot and killed when he reportedly lunged at police with a knife.

For the latest on this bizarre story, we are joined by our Jason Carroll. He is outside the family home in Syracuse -- Jason, hello.

JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And, Daryn, I want you to look outside here in front of the Tran home on Kirkpatrick Street here in Syracuse. You can see all the flowers that people have left. If you take a look down here on the front steps, more flowers, teddy bears for the children, also a letter here that was written by some folks here in the neighborhood.

What happened on this street took place this weekend on Saturday. Neighbors heard screaming coming from the house and called 911. Apparently the children's mother had come home from a wedding. The door was locked. She looked through a window and saw one of her children lying on the floor. The children's father, Cuong Tran, told her through the door that he was killing her children. Police forced their way in and found Tran. He had stabbed his three children, Danny, six, Randy, five, were dead. The third child, Andy, who's 7 years old, was just barely alive. Police say they were forced into shooting Tran after he came at them with some sort of a knife.

Now, a little earlier this morning I spoke to some of the neighbors out here who told me exactly what they saw on Saturday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED NEIGHBOR: The first time I walked up I saw a guy pacing back and forth in the kitchen, to be exact, with a bloody baby in his hands. I came out and told the guy we've got to do something. Went back down. This time he was like two feet away from me at the window with a knife to his stomach.

UNIDENTIFIED NEIGHBOR: After everything, even all the commotion and stuff had stopped, I could still see into the apartment. I could see the little boy laying there in the living room lifeless. And I think I stood and I stopped there and stared at him for about two hours when I was stopping. I just couldn't believe it because my own daughter is the same age. She's played with these kids, you know? So I had kind of gotten to know them a little bit. And I just couldn't believe it. And at this point I'm still shocked.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CARROLL: Many people in this neighborhood are obviously still shocked. Andy, the 7-year-old, is still in critical condition. Also this morning, I spoke to a sergeant with the Syracuse Police Department and, Daryn, he told me that what they're going to try to do is they're going to try to reinterview the mother today. Apparently this weekend she was just too upset and at one point she was in shock, had to be hospitalized for shock. So they're going to try to reinterview the mother today, try to get some more information, try to find out a motive for why this father took out so much rage on his children -- Daryn?

KAGAN: Understandable shock and distress on the part of the mother there.

Jason Carroll in Syracuse, thank you.

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