Southampton Police Shoot and Kill Suspect After He Stabbed His Mother on Mother’s Day

The patrol officers were responding to a call of an escalating violent domestic situation, at approximately 2:43 p.m. Sunday, May 10 on Topping Drive when things escalated, and they shot and killed the male suspect.

Southampton Town Police Department received the 911 call from a woman reporting that her 28-year-old son was intoxicated and acting violently inside their residence. While officers were responding to the location, a second 911 call was received from the same caller reporting that her son was now threatening her with a knife.

Moments later, three Southampton Town Police officers arrived on scene and encountered Steven Eastwood armed with a knife, standing over his mother, who was on the floor inside the residence. The officers repeatedly ordered Mr. Eastwood to drop the knife. Instead, he began advancing toward the officers while still armed. In an effort to draw him away from the victim and de-escalate the situation, officers backed away as he approached them with the knife. Within moments he refocused his attention on the victim and returned to her and was actively stabbing and slashing at her body. Faced with an ongoing deadly assault, officers discharged their service weapons, striking Mr. Eastwood and immediately stopping the attack.

Emergency Medical Services personnel from Flanders Northampton Ambulance responded to the scene and pronounced Mr. Eastwood deceased. Police said the victim, his mother, sustained more than 40 apparent stab and slash wounds and was transported to Stony Brook University Hospital for emergency treatment.

According to police, the three involved officers were transported for trauma evaluation and support services, which is standard protocol for an incident of this nature.

As required by New York State law, the New York State Attorney General’s Office was notified, responded, and is investigating. Detectives from the Suffolk County Police Department, along with Southampton Town Police Detectives, are also actively involved in the investigation, which is ongoing.

“At this time, our primary focus is assisting the Attorney General’s Office and Suffolk County Investigators in conducting a complete and transparent investigation,” Police said in a press release. “I would also like to thank the responding personnel from Westhampton Beach Police Department, Quogue Village Police Department, New York State Troopers, Flanders Northampton Ambulance, Riverhead Volunteer Ambulance and the Suffolk County Police Department for their rapid response, professionalism, and assistance during this extremely difficult and violent incident. Our thoughts remain with the victim and all those affected by this traumatic incident.”

Due to the active and ongoing investigation, police said they would be limited in the additional information they can provide at this time.