Woman Arrested After Allegedly Stabbing Tourist in Macy's Restroom
A disturbing incident unfolded at the iconic Macy's Herald Square store in New York City on Thursday when a woman allegedly stabbed a tourist multiple times while changing her infant daughter's diaper. Kerri Aherne, 43, from Tewksbury, Massachusetts, was arrested and charged with two counts of assault, attempted murder, criminal possession of a weapon, and endangering the welfare of a child.
According to police reports, the victim – identified as a tourist visiting Manhattan from California – was stabbed in her back and arm just before 3 p.m. The attack took place in a seventh-floor restroom within the upscale department store. Fortunately, the baby suffered no injuries, and the victim was taken to Bellevue Hospital in stable condition.
Aherne's husband allegedly intervened by disarming her and holding her until police arrived on the scene. Authorities have confirmed that Aherne has a history of psychiatric issues and had previously been hospitalized for these problems.
The investigation into the incident is ongoing, with authorities stating that the attack appears to be unprovoked. A spokesperson for the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department revealed that both the victim and her husband are employees of the LASD.
Aherne was ordered held without bail after appearing in court on Friday, where she faced charges related to the assault. The Manhattan District Attorney's Office has taken the case, with officials expressing their commitment to ensuring public safety within the city's iconic shopping destinations.
In a statement, Macy's expressed its sorrow over the incident and emphasized the importance of customer safety. Authorities have assured that they are cooperating fully with the investigation and will continue to provide support for the victim and her family.
The shocking incident has left many in shock, raising questions about the prevalence of violence within public spaces and the measures being taken to prevent such incidents.
A disturbing incident unfolded at the iconic Macy's Herald Square store in New York City on Thursday when a woman allegedly stabbed a tourist multiple times while changing her infant daughter's diaper. Kerri Aherne, 43, from Tewksbury, Massachusetts, was arrested and charged with two counts of assault, attempted murder, criminal possession of a weapon, and endangering the welfare of a child.
According to police reports, the victim – identified as a tourist visiting Manhattan from California – was stabbed in her back and arm just before 3 p.m. The attack took place in a seventh-floor restroom within the upscale department store. Fortunately, the baby suffered no injuries, and the victim was taken to Bellevue Hospital in stable condition.
Aherne's husband allegedly intervened by disarming her and holding her until police arrived on the scene. Authorities have confirmed that Aherne has a history of psychiatric issues and had previously been hospitalized for these problems.
The investigation into the incident is ongoing, with authorities stating that the attack appears to be unprovoked. A spokesperson for the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department revealed that both the victim and her husband are employees of the LASD.
Aherne was ordered held without bail after appearing in court on Friday, where she faced charges related to the assault. The Manhattan District Attorney's Office has taken the case, with officials expressing their commitment to ensuring public safety within the city's iconic shopping destinations.
In a statement, Macy's expressed its sorrow over the incident and emphasized the importance of customer safety. Authorities have assured that they are cooperating fully with the investigation and will continue to provide support for the victim and her family.
The shocking incident has left many in shock, raising questions about the prevalence of violence within public spaces and the measures being taken to prevent such incidents.
. This whole thing just sounds like a nightmare come true. I mean, thinkin' about some poor tourist just tryin' to do their business in the restroom and gettin' stabbed by some crazy woman... it's just too much 
. And the fact that there was an infant present in the bathroom, unharmed? That's just a miracle 
.
. Having a history of psychiatric problems and still bein' able to stab someone? That's just plain scary 
.
. And I'm glad Aherne's husband was there to step in and help out, but at the same time, it's just a reminder that sometimes even with good people around, crazy stuff can still happen 
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Doesnt sound like her or something? Shouldn't she have been on meds or somethin'? Anyway, hope the victim is doin alright... that mustve been super scary for her!
. I mean, what's going through her mind? Was she stressed out or overwhelmed in that moment? Was the lack of support from those around her (husband included) a contributing factor to her actions? And let's not forget about mental health stigmas - if she was open about her history with psychiatric issues, maybe things would've unfolded differently 
. I'm not saying she deserves a free pass or anything, but we need to have a more nuanced conversation about the complexities of human behavior and why people do what they do 
.
just got this update on the stabbing at Macy's Herald Square and it's wild... 43yo woman goes ballistic on a tourist mom with an infant 
not even the husband knew about her secret weapon 
. And yeah, mental health issues are no joke 
.
Back in my day, we didn't have all these crazy incidents happening all the time. People were always looking out for each other. Now it seems like everyone's just looking out for themselves. 
It's just not right. They should've had more security in that restroom or something... can't even go to the bathroom without worrying about getting hurt 
what is wrong with some people?! A woman stabs a tourist in Macy's restroom like it's nothing 
and her husband has to step in and disarm her? Like, what kind of family dynamics are we talking about here? 
It just goes to show that you never know what can happen in a public place, even with all the security measures in place. I'm glad the baby was okay though, and the husband of the woman did the right thing by intervening until the police arrived 
And it's even worse that it was a mom trying to change her baby's diaper, who knows what kind of stress she was under already? 
We need to be more aware of these things and support each other instead of just shoving it under the rug. 