A Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department employee vacationing in New York was stabbed Thursday in a Macy’s restroom while changing her 9-month-old daughter’s diaper, police said.
The woman and her husband were shopping with their baby in Herald Square before stopping at the Macy’s restroom on West 34th Street at 3:15 p.m. A homeless woman identified by police as Kerri Aherne, 43, lunged at the mother inside the bathroom, stabbing her in the back multiple times and cutting her arm, New York Police Sgt. » said Kevin Sheehan.
The woman’s baby was not injured. The two women did not know each other and there had been no prior interactions or disputes, Sheehan said.
The victim’s husband, who was nearby and heard the noise, rushed into the bathroom and held the attacker until police arrived, Sheehan said. The victim’s husband is also an LASD employee, according to a statement from the department. Their specific roles have not been disclosed.
Paramedics took the woman to Bellevue Hospital, where she was treated and is expected to survive, according to Sheehan.
The knife used in the attack was found at the scene, police said.
Macy’s confirmed the incident in a statement Friday.
“We are deeply saddened by today’s incident, as the safety of our customers and colleagues is our top priority,” a company spokesperson said.
