In the late night of September 9, a shocking deadly robbery took place in a high-end apartment building in Manhattan’s Chinatown. A Chinese man was followed by two suspects to his residence on the 8th floor in an attempted robbery. When his wife and son heard the commotion and opened the door, the wife tried to stop the robbery but tragically got shot and killed in front of her husband and son, sparking deep concern among the community residents for their safety.
According to police reports, around 11 p.m. on September 9, authorities received a 911 call and rushed to 44 Market St, where they found 57-year-old Chinese woman Ying Zhu Liu shot in the head, in a critical condition. Paramedics pronounced her dead upon arrival.
Prior to the incident, Ying Zhu Liu’s husband had entered the apartment building with two suspects following him inside. They took the elevator together to the 8th floor, where Ying Zhu Liu overheard the commotion outside the apartment and with her son went to the corridor to investigate. She tried to intervene in the robbery, only to be shot in the head by one of the suspects.
The robbers then fled the scene with her husband’s phone. Her son and husband were unharmed in the incident.
The two suspects are reported to be African Americans, aged between 15 and 20. At the time of writing, the culprits remain at large.
According to property website Zillow, the victim lived in a high-end apartment built in 2004. A 800-square-foot apartment in the market is priced at approximately $1.38 million, with monthly rental rates exceeding $5,000.
The apartment is located near the intersection of Madison St and Market St, with the Manhattan Bridge behind it. The surrounding area has older apartment buildings, kindergartens, churches, supermarkets, senior centers, and trading companies on the first floor. Being a crossroads, the streets see a number of delivery trucks and a significant population of Chinese residents.
This case is characterized by the suspects following the victim and seizing an opportunity to commit the crime, leaving the local community in shock.
Discussion among nearby residents revealed that the victim was from Fuzhou and ran a business. Mr. Lin, who often passes by the apartment, expressed deep surprise at the shooting incident, mentioning that the area is generally considered safe. He found it hard to believe that a high-end apartment like this one would be the scene of a robbery-related fatality, speculating that it might be due to business disputes leading to retaliation.
Mr. Shao, a Cantonese immigrant living on Bayard Street in Chinatown for over 20 years, was delivering goods on Market St when he heard about the tragic shooting of a Chinese person. He was shocked and stated that “usually few strangers come and go here, so from now on, I must pay special attention to safety.”
However, there are reports suggesting that the police believe the suspects and the victim were not acquainted.
Yukam Yu, a Chinatown local and chairman of the New York Eastern Chinese Association, pointed out that near the scene of the incident on East Broadway, there are three drug rehabilitation centers attracting many addicts, combined with the presence of shelters where individuals resort to robbery for drug money. The act of following someone and resorting to violence for financial gain has instilled fear in the community.
He mentioned that nearby Forsyth St has seen frequent thefts, with loiterers often seen hanging around, waiting for the opportunity to commit crimes. While residents may recognize some faces, it is challenging to alert the police before an offense occurs.
The incident falls under the jurisdiction of the 5th precinct of the police department. As per information released by the authorities earlier this month, robbery cases in the precinct have more than doubled until August this year, with the primary hotspots being around East Broadway. While shootings in the precinct have decreased this year, this is the sole shooting resulting in death.
Yukam Yu advised that many Chinese people have to work late hours for a living, and it’s advisable to travel in pairs when returning home late. Instead of solely focusing on their phones while walking, individuals should remain vigilant of their surroundings, as safety is paramount and self-preservation is crucial.