Macy’s is the department store that practically invented holiday cheer. But on a recent December afternoon, a 38-year-old California tourist ended up in absolute chaos on the seventh floor of Macy’s Herald Square. She got a crash course in New York City’s version of surprise shopping, complete with an unprovoked stabbing in the middle of the biggest retail landmark in America.
According to the NYPD, the Macy’s knife attack happened just before 3 p.m. on Thursday, right when Midtown foot traffic reaches its peak and the escalators are packed with shoppers. Police said the suspect was 43-year-old Kerri Aherne of Tewksbury, Massachusetts. Aherne allegedly approached the victim and stabbed her multiple times, mainly in the back and arm. The attack unfolded so quickly that most people barely had time to understand what was happening.
The setting was the seventh floor of Macy’s at 1440 Broadway. For those who don’t know, this area is typically reserved for holiday shopping. After the violent incident, the victim was taken to the hospital, and panicked shoppers rushed to get away from the scene.
Tourist stabbed inside Macy’s Herald Square by crazed homeless woman during busy holiday season: cops https://t.co/whqXqTsrgU pic.twitter.com/VOQE8hqXe9
— New York Post Metro (@nypmetro) December 12, 2025
Officials have confirmed the victim was in New York for the holidays. She was rushed to Bellevue Hospital and is now in stable condition. Police have arrested Aherne and charged her with attempted murder, assault, and criminal possession of a weapon. Investigators say the attack was completely unprovoked, with no exchange of words or confrontation beforehand.
Macy’s, according to ABC 7 New York, issued a statement:
“We are deeply saddened about the incident (…) the safety of our customers and colleagues is our top priority.”
This stabbing comes against a backdrop of other unsettling incidents inside the Herald Square location. Just weeks ago, another unprovoked assault on the store’s ninth floor stunned a New York family before Thanksgiving. In that incident, a 71-year-old man was struck repeatedly in the head by a stranger wielding a cellphone. He survived.
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There has also been a recent uptick in felony and misdemeanor assaults in the Midtown South Precinct. Unsurprisingly, this has left both locals and visitors wondering whether the holidays have gotten a little too sharp this year. For tourists expecting a Hallmark-movie vibe, random acts of violence in New York can be unsettling. But locals know by now that even the city’s most iconic spaces aren’t immune.
At this time, police haven’t released additional details about what led to Thursday’s attack or why Aherne targeted a stranger. Meanwhile, the victim continues to recover.
