Stabbing suspect fatally shot by state police in Woodbury, N.Y.
WOODBURY, N.Y. - New York State Troopers fatally shot a stabbing suspect Wednesday afternoon in Woodbury, N.Y.
Police had been searching for Ali Ali, 28, who was considered armed and dangerous following a stabbing in New York City. Woodbury is located about 60 miles north of the city in Orange County.
The NYPD said Ali stabbed a 56-year-old female employee at a laundromat in Bath Beach, Brooklyn Monday because his laundry wasn't ready.
"When I heard about this thing, really horrifying to me," laundromat customer Paimoon Khamon said.
"This is something crazy," Customer Christina Jghenti said.
Initially, the search for Ali was literally like trying to find a needle in a haystack. Then came a major break.
Ali Ali ran into the woods after fiery crash, police say
At around 5:30 a.m. Wednesday, state troopers said they were notified about a stolen 2021 Chevy Equinox traveling northbound on the Thruway in Rockland County. Troopers spotted the vehicle near Exit 16 in Harriman, and tried to pull it over. According to state police, Ali was behind the wheel, and ignored the responding officers. They say he slammed into in a tractor-trailer, and the Equinox burst into flames. Ali ran from the scene into the woods, state police said.
State troopers had warned members of the public not to approach him, and to call 911 immediately if they spotted him.
A homeowner called police after seeing Ali on a trail camera in Highland Mills around 12:30 p.m.
At 1:47 p.m., troopers say they found Ali in the woods, and confronted him. They say he was armed with a knife. State police say troopers ordered to him to drop the knife, and deployed a taser. They say Ali initially dropped to the ground, but then got up and charged at troopers with the knife out. That's when one of the troopers shot him. He died at the scene.
The New York Attorney General's office responded to the scene.
"He could have gone into someone's house. He could have gone into a school. That's why we raised the level of alert to the public," Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus said.
Neuhaus said many spent the day home home, behind locked doors.
"The police enforcement and everybody, they definitely did their job and kept the people safe," Highland Mills resident Karen Markle said.
"It was definitely a little odd yesterday, having all the police around. Usually quiet here so all of them being here was pretty scary," Highland Mills resident Sophie McPherson said.
