The Queens maniac who allegedly gunned down his mom and sister before blowing up their shared home over the weekend was charged Tuesday with their murder – as authorities revealed a dog and cat were killed in the fire.
Kegan Thomas, 33 – who was still recovering in the hospital after being shot by responding cops – was charged with murder, attempted murder, arson, aggravated cruelty to animals and criminal possession of a weapon in the violent Saturday afternoon ordeal, police said.
The accused killer faces the animal cruelty charge because one dog and one cat died of smoke inhalation as a result of the explosion, cops said.
Thomas is accused of shooting his mom, Clemer Ponce, 56, in the chest and sister, Selema Ponce, 28, in the shoulder inside their home on Ocean Crest Boulevard near Hartman Lane in Far Rockaway, police said.
His wife called 911, reporting that Thomas – who had “a history with mental illness” – had killed the pair, as she warned cops “to be careful because her husband has a shotgun,” Assistant Chief Christopher McIntosh said at the time.
Just as officers from the NYPD’s Emergency Services Unit were about to force their way inside, “a large fiery explosion erupted from the house,” according to McIntosh.
Cops were then met with the crazed bulletproof vest-wearing gunman and repeatedly ordered him to drop his weapon, the chief said.
“After failing to comply with repeat commands to put his hands up and still armed [with] the shotgun, officers discharged their weapons and struck the suspect,” McIntosh said.
He was taken to Jamaica Hospital, where he remained in critical but stable condition Tuesday, police said.
He has no criminal record or mental health history with the NYPD, according to McIntosh.
But neighbors told The Post on Monday that Thomas long had “something crazy about him” and that “every day in that house there was a lot of domestic violence going on.”
The timing of his arraignment was not yet clear Tuesday evening, prosecutors said.
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