MANHATTAN — The Washington Heights stabbing spree that claimed two lives earlier this week began when the alleged assailant entered his neighbors’ apartment and got hold of one of their kitchen knives, NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly said at a Thursday press conference.
"He barged into an apartment with two elderly people, pushed past them and grabbed a 10-inch kitchen knife and stabbed both people," Kelly said, referring to Christian Falero, 23, who was arrested naked and covered in blood Tuesday afternoon.
One of the elderly victims, 81-year-old Ignacio Reyes-Collazo, was killed in the attack; his 75-year-old wife survived and was taken to Harlem Hospital in stable condition.
Falero also punched the couple’s 22-year-old home aid before continuing to another neighbor’s apartment, Kelly said.
"There was no apparent reason for this except that he is an emotionally disturbed person," the commissioner explained.
Falero told family members that he was “mad at the world” when he woke up Tuesday morning, according to Kelly.
Two other neighbors were stabbed during the rampage at 870 Riverside Drive — an unidentified 85-year-old woman and 60-year-old Yanzhi Wang, who succumbed to her injuries on Wednesday, according to the commissioner.
All of the victims were on the second floor of the building, while Falero lives on the fifth.
Police had been called to the Washington Heights address last May to resolve a dispute between Falero and his brother, Kelly said.
They were awaiting the results of toxicology tests, he also noted.
Falero was still awaiting arraignment on murder and robbery charges Thursday afternoon. He was being treated at Bellevue Hospital at that time, sources said.
