NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Liyong Ye, who reportedly fatally struck a Brooklyn woman and seriously injured her two small children, has been charged with murder and attempted murder on Thursday, August 24.
Liyong shared a Sunset Park rooming house with the woman, Zhao Zhao, 43, and her children, a three-year-old daughter and a five-year-old son.
He has also been charged with assault and criminal possession of a firearm related to the brutal beating on Wednesday, August 23, per authorities.
Liyong Ye charged with killing woman and injuring her two children
The attack took place in Brooklyn just before 2.00 pm. NYPD officers found Zhao and her children inside the second-floor apartment in the 14-story building.
All three sustained grievous head injuries in the attack.
According to police, the three were rushed to NYU Langone Hospital Brooklyn, where the mother died and the two children were listed in critical condition early on Thursday.
As per reports, Liyong has never been arrested before. He and his nine-year-old son used to live in another room of the modest three-bedroom apartment with Zhao and her children.
Why did Liyong Ye kill Zhao Zhao?
According to the New York Post, Liyong carried out the attack because he allegedly held Zhao responsible for the sorry state of the tiny living space in the apartment.
According to NYPD Chief of Patrol John Chell, the suspect, who had blood on him, was attempting to flee the premises when officers arrived and took him into custody.
Liyong allegedly told a witness that he intended on "fighting" Zhao before he killed her. He is also accused of attempting to kill two other people.
Cops initially assumed the victims had been stabbed, but after conducting additional inquiries, it was discovered that a hammer had been used in the attack. They later recovered the hammer from the scene.
How did Liyong Ye plan the alleged attack?
Prosecutors described how Liyong planned the alleged attack when he appeared in Brooklyn Criminal Court to be charged.
Neighbors claimed to have overheard Liyong and Zhao arguing loudly in recent weeks.
Authorities said that Liyong repeatedly complained to the third roommate about the clutter in the kitchen and bathroom weeks before the attack.
On the day of the assault, he allegedly called the roommate and asked whether they could pick up his son.
The roommate reported to the police that when they got home, they found Liyong bloodied, holding a hammer over the three victims.
They called 911, and Liyong was apprehended when he was discovered attempting to escape the apartment.
The children are currently fighting for their lives in the hospital, but Assistant District Attorney Tziyonah Langsam told the jury that they "have blunt trauma to their heads and they are likely to die."
