A stabbing incident occurred at Macy's Herald Square in New York City, where a woman from Massachusetts, identified as Kerri Aherne, was arrested for allegedly stabbing another woman in the back while the victim was changing her baby in a bathroom. The New York City Police Department (NYPD) described the attack as 'unprovoked,' with no prior interaction between Aherne and the 39-year-old victim from California. The victim sustained two stab wounds to her back and a laceration to her left arm and was transported to Bellevue Hospital, where she is currently in stable condition. Aherne faces multiple charges, including attempted murder and endangering the welfare of a child. This incident has drawn attention to issues of homelessness and public safety in high-traffic areas, particularly during the holiday season, as Macy's emphasized its commitment to customer safety in response to the attack.

In a separate incident, Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, issued an alert for an active shooter near the Barus and Holley engineering building on December 13, 2025. The alert was sent shortly after 4:15 p.m., instructing students and faculty to lock doors and seek shelter. A subsequent alert confirmed that a suspect was in custody, although the university continued to advise individuals to remain hidden. The Providence Police Department advised residents to avoid the area due to a significant emergency response. This incident coincided with the second day of final exams for the university's approximately 7,300 undergraduate and over 3,000 graduate students. The Barus and Holley building is a large facility that houses numerous laboratories and classrooms, underscoring the potential impact of such violent events on educational environments.

Both incidents reflect broader societal issues surrounding public safety and the need for effective responses to violence in urban settings, particularly in places frequented by the public.