A New York City wife and mother was shot in the face and killed while defending her husband against attempted robbers on Monday, Sept. 9. The suspects are still at large, according to multiple reports.
Police were called to a Chinatown condo building on Market Street around 11 p.m. local time. Once they arrived, they discovered Ying Zhu Liu was already dead, Pix 11 reports, citing the New York Police Department.
Liu was 57.
Her husband told the NYPD that two men followed him into his apartment building and then into the elevator as he went up to the eighth floor. Once off the elevator, the men tried to rob him but were interrupted by Liu when she heard the noise and went into the hallway. She was shot in the head and died just moments later, the news outlet added. Liu’s adult son witnessed the fatal shooting.
PEOPLE reached out to the NYPD for comment.
The suspects, who have not been arrested, got away with Liu’s husband’s phone, ABC 7 reports. Although there is a security camera above Liu and her family’s apartment, it’s unknown if it captured footage of the incident.
The suspects left the scene on foot, police said, according to NBC New York. They both wore ski masks. and one also had on a black and red hooded jacket and white gym shoes. The second suspect wore a black hooded jacket and black pants.
It’s not suspected that the alleged robbers knew Liu or her husband, Pix 11 reported.
One neighbor claimed in an interview with ABC 7 that a robbery had taken place just one night before in the area.
“It’s very scary but I think it’s the same two people who robbed a guy at 10:30 Sunday night, they robbed another guy, I think two young kids, it’s terrible,” Ann Valentino said.
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Emerson Coreis, who also lives nearby, asked, “Where are the cops, I don’t see a lot of cops around here, you know, more cops, Eric Adams do something about it.”
Those with information are asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS.
