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A New York City woman was fatally stabbed inside her Chinatown apartment by a man who police say followed her inside.
Christina Yuna Lee, 35, who was of an Asian American descent, was identified as the victim brutally killed in the incident early Sunday (February 13) morning, the New York City Police Department confirmed via NBC News.
The department said it received a 911 call just before 4:30 a.m. Sunday regarding a dispute on the 100 block of Chrystie Street and, upon arrival, located "a barricade individual" inside of the Chinatown apartment after initially being unable to enter the unit.
Emergency Service Unit officers responded to the scene and were able to get inside the barricaded apartment and located Lee inside her bathroom found to have experienced "trauma about the body," NBC News reports.
An NYPD spokesperson confirmed that the victim was stabbed and pronounced dead at the scene.
An unidentified adult male was taken into custody with pending charges that have yet to be filed as of Monday (February 14) morning in relation to the ongoing investigation, NBC News reports.
Lee's landlord, Brian Chin, told NBC New York that the 35-year-old returned home after a night out and was being followed into the building by the alleged suspect up six flights of steps and into the apartment, which NYPD officers also confirmed was shown on video footage at the scene, which was obtained by the New York Post.
“She opened the door and he just slipped in right behind her. She never even knew he was there,” Chin said via NBC New York. “She walked up six flights of stairs and this man mercilessly stalked her.”
Mayor Eric Adams issued a statement regarding the incident vowing that he wouldn't "let this violence go unchecked."
“I and New Yorkers across the city mourn for the innocent woman murdered in her home last night in Chinatown and stand with our Asian brothers and sisters today,” Adams said in a statement obtained by NBC News.
“The NYPD is investigating this horrific incident, and I thank them for apprehending the suspect. While the suspect who committed this heinous act is now in custody, the conditions that created him remain,” Adams added.
A rally protesting hate crimes targeting Asian American New Yorkers is scheduled to be held in New York amid Lee's death
Police haven't determined whether Lee's murder is a hate crime as of Monday, but it did take place amid a nationwide spike in incidents targeting Asian Americans since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.