NYC Macy’s bathroom stabbing suspect charged
NYC prosecutors charged Kerri Aherne, 43, with attempted murder and related offenses after a Thursday stabbing of a woman inside a Macy’s Herald Square restroom while the victim was changing her baby. Prosecutors say Aherne, recently released that morning from Manhattan Psychiatric Center after a yearlong stay, told police she bought a knife at Macy’s and attacked because voices told her to kill; the victim, a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department employee visiting New York, was treated at Bellevue Hospital and discharged Friday.
📌 Key Facts
- Suspect: Kerri Aherne, 43, with last known address in Tewksbury, Massachusetts
- Incident: Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025, Macy’s Herald Square restroom; victim stabbed in the back while changing a baby
- Victim: female LASD employee; treated at Bellevue Hospital and discharged Friday
- Prosecutors: say Aherne was released from Manhattan Psychiatric Center the same morning and admitted buying the knife at Macy’s
- Charges: attempted murder, two counts of assault, criminal possession of a weapon, endangering the welfare of a child; held without bail
- Next court date: Dec. 17, 2025
📊 Relevant Data
Black New Yorkers are disproportionately affected by homelessness, comprising approximately 56% of heads of household in shelters while making up about 24% of the city's population.
Basic Facts About Homelessness: New York City — Coalition for the Homeless
White New Yorkers are underrepresented in the homeless population, comprising 7% of heads of household in shelters compared to 32% of the city's population.
Basic Facts About Homelessness: New York City — Coalition for the Homeless
Individuals with serious mental illness account for only about 4 percent of violent crime in the United States.
Addressing Misconceptions about Mental Health and Violence — The Council of State Governments Justice Center
There are approximately 2,000 people with serious mental illness at risk for street homelessness cycling through New York City streets.
Safer for All — Office of the New York City Comptroller