A resident from a peaceful neighborhood in Queens reported hearing disturbing screams when a man, allegedly intoxicated, attacked his mother-in-law, resulting in her death, and then reportedly turned on his teenage son with a knife.
The victim, Shi Quijin, 50, was fatally wounded in an incident at a home on Smart Street, during which the assailant also set fire to a mattress.
“I could hear the man yelling, though I couldn’t make out the words. Then I heard a woman say, ‘I’ll call the ambulance,'” said a neighbor who witnessed the chaos but chose to remain unnamed. She seemed shocked by the scene.
Three individuals were urgently taken to Elders Hospital in New York, where Quijin sadly succumbed to her injuries. Her 17-year-old son, who suffered stab wounds to his face and armpits, is reportedly in stable condition.
The suspect remains hospitalized and is in police custody; his identity has not been disclosed since no charges have yet been filed and the investigation continues.
Neighbors remembered Quijin as a dedicated mother who invested a lot of time in beautifying her home and tending to her garden.
“I was really impressed by her,” a neighbor reflected. “I think her husband was a construction worker. When they bought that house around 13 years ago, it was in rough shape. They completely transformed it. I watched her work alongside a few other women, doing much of the labor themselves. She was definitely in charge,” the neighbor recounted.
“It’s just so tragic.”
According to reports, Quijin’s 27-year-old stepson had been violent towards her and his half-brother multiple times at home before he slashed his wrists and set the mattress on fire.
One of the victims fled the scene screaming, prompting officers from the nearby Port Authority to administer first aid and alert the authorities.
After the attack, the suspect reportedly ignited the mattress, adding to the chaos.
Though he has not yet been charged, it appears that he may be going through a divorce-related crisis.
It’s unclear whether he or his estranged spouse were living in the Smart Street residence, but it seems several family members were present.
Two young residents, 20-year-old Gooding Chan and his 16-year-old sister Lukin Lin, were in the house when they heard the commotion. “Everyone was in a state of panic… I opened the door and ran to the room only to find my aunt lying on the floor, and then I was told there was a man inside with a knife,” Chan recounted.
Martha Flores Vazquez, a clinical psychologist and founder of Community Prevention Alternatives, speculated that the 27-year-old suspect might be experiencing a severe mental health crisis. “I believe this is likely a situation of mental health decompensation, perhaps exacerbated by not taking his medication,” she explained, noting that decompensation refers to a state of instability.
“If you notice anything unusual, you really have to report it. If someone looks like they’re struggling, just call the police. Better safe than sorry,” she added.
