A shocking incident unfolded at Macy’s in Manhattan this week when a woman allegedly stabbed a California tourist while she was changing her 10-month-old daughter in the store’s bathroom. The suspect, Kerri Aherne, 43, has a troubling past that includes a previous arrest in Massachusetts for threatening to kill Senator Elizabeth Warren, according to the Manhattan district attorney’s office.
Aherne was ordered held without bail after appearing in court Friday night.
Authorities said the attack happened on the 7th floor of the flagship Macy’s just before 3 p.m. Thursday, right in the middle of the busy holiday shopping rush. The victim, 38, suffered a stab wound to the back and cuts on her arm. During the chaos, her baby fell from the changing table, though thankfully was unharmed. The mother was able to subdue Aherne with help from her partner before store security took control of the situation.
The victim, visiting from California, was hospitalized but is now reportedly stable and recovering. Both she and the child’s father work for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
Prosecutors revealed that Aherne has a documented psychiatric history and had been discharged earlier Thursday from the Manhattan Psychiatric Center, where she had been hospitalized for over a year. According to authorities, she told police that voices in her head instructed her to kill someone or be killed, prompting her to buy a knife from Macy’s and attack the mother.
Aherne has also admitted to previous hospitalizations for psychiatric issues. Her criminal record includes a 2018 Massachusetts arrest for posting online that she wanted to kill Senator Warren. In 2024, she reportedly left Massachusetts in an Uber while on temporary hospital leave, expressing that she preferred prison over returning to a hospital.
Currently believed to be homeless, Aherne has no prior arrests in New York. During her court appearance, she told the judge she “doesn’t want to go to another hospital because they did not help” her.
A Macy’s spokesperson said in a statement: “We are deeply saddened about the incident that took place today as the safety of our customers and colleagues is our top priority. We kindly defer any further questions to the local authorities.”
Aherne faces charges of attempted murder, with a possible sentence of up to 25 years in prison if convicted. Her next court date is set for December 17.
So many demons walking among us.
Many years ago, they put people like this in a alyssum but the demonRats wanted them out and put them on our streets instead, these people have been terrorizing us ever since.