A tragic incident unfolded in a lower Manhattan condominium on Monday night when a 57-year-old woman was fatally shot in the face while trying to protect her husband and son from two violent robbers. The woman, identified as Ying Zhu Liu, a home health aide, was found dead in the eighth-floor hallway of the Two Bridges building at 44 Market St. shortly after 11 p.m., according to police reports.
The two assailants, who were reportedly wearing black ski masks, are believed to have trailed Liu’s 61-year-old husband into the building and into the elevator, where they attempted to rob him. Liu’s 32-year-old son, who had let his father into the building, was waiting in the eighth-floor hallway when the elevator doors opened to reveal the ongoing struggle.
Upon witnessing the scene, Liu’s son attempted to intervene but was struck with a pistol by one of the robbers. Hearing the commotion, Liu emerged with a stick to confront the intruders, only to be shot in the face in front of her husband and son.
Despite the violent encounter, both Liu’s husband and son were physically unharmed. The robbers managed to seize the husband’s cell phone before fleeing the scene. As of Tuesday morning, the suspects remained at large.
The police have provided descriptions of the suspects. The gunman was reportedly wearing a half red, half black hooded jacket, black pants with a white stripe down the leg, and white sneakers. The second suspect was dressed in a black hooded coat, black pants, and black and white sneakers. Liu’s son, Lin Rong Yan, stated that he did not recognize either of the suspects.
The aftermath of the incident was a grim sight. The eighth-floor hallway where the shooting occurred was still marked with blood 12 hours later. A blood-soaked pillow was propped against a wall, and a blood-stained handprint was visible on the wall. A pool of blood was concentrated near the door to the stairs.
The 12-story building where the incident took place houses 16 condo units, a preschool, and commercial space on the ground level. The investigation into the incident is ongoing.