The holiday shopping rush at Macy’s Herald Square turned into a nightmare Thursday afternoon when a California tourist was brutally stabbed inside the store’s seventh-floor restroom — while changing her 10-month-old baby’s diaper.
Police said the attack was sudden, random, and vicious.
The suspect, identified as 43-year-old Kerri Aherne of Tewksbury, Massachusetts, allegedly ambushed the woman without warning, stabbing her multiple times in the back and slashing her arm before being apprehended moments later by NYPD officers.
Aherne now faces a string of charges, including attempted murder, assault with a weapon, and criminal possession of a weapon.
Authorities say officers rushed to Macy’s around 3:15 p.m. after frantic calls reported screams from the women’s restroom. When police arrived, they found the 38-year-old victim bleeding on the tile floor, with her infant nearby and horrified shoppers looking on.
“She was terrified and kept asking if her baby was okay,” a law enforcement source told reporters. “This was completely unprovoked.”
The woman — an off-duty employee of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department — was taken to a nearby hospital in stable condition. Her husband, also an LASD deputy, had been shopping elsewhere in the store when the attack unfolded.
Shoppers described a wave of confusion as security guards began clearing the floor.
“It’s terrifying,” said Oscar DeCastro, who was shopping with his wife and daughter. “We were just buying coats — then all of a sudden, security’s yelling and people are running. You don’t expect this at Macy’s.”
“I thought this was one of the safest places in the city,” said Salvadore Tabares, another shopper. “If it can happen here, it can happen anywhere.”
Another customer, Franklin Doman, urged tighter security. “We bring our families here. You never know what’s going to happen anymore.”
A Macy’s spokesperson issued a statement calling the incident “deeply saddening,” adding that “the safety of our customers and colleagues is our top priority.” The company declined to comment further, referring all inquiries to law enforcement.
Thursday’s stabbing marks the second unprovoked attack at Macy’s Herald Square in less than a month.
In November, a 71-year-old shopper was assaulted by a woman who struck him in the head several times with what police believe was a cellphone. The suspect in that case, 65-year-old Donna Francis, was arrested and charged with assault.
Crime experts say the back-to-back attacks underscore growing concerns about public safety in major retail centers, especially during the busy holiday season.
“This time of year, stores are packed, tensions are high, and there’s less personal space,” said retired NYPD sergeant Joseph Giordano, who now works as a security consultant. “It’s a reminder that vigilance is essential — even in places that feel familiar.”
Police have not disclosed a motive for the stabbing, and investigators say Aherne and the victim did not know each other.
As detectives piece together what led to the attack, the victim’s family — and New Yorkers — are left shaken by the realization that even a simple act of motherhood, in one of the city’s most iconic stores, can turn into a scene of horror in seconds.
Source: CBS News New York, NYPD statements, witness interviews
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How about some background information on the attacker – including a photo. You know, as the MSM is so fond of saying, the public has the right to know.