A second teenager has been arrested for the tragic September murder of a 57-year-old mother who was shot while trying to protect her husband and son during a violent robbery in their Lower Manhattan apartment building.
The incident, which shocked the local community, took place late at night and resulted in the death of Ying Zhu Liu, a home health aide and devoted wife and mother.
Teen Suspect Charged with Murder
Joshua Bell, 19, was arrested on Friday and charged with murder, robbery, burglary, and criminal possession of a weapon. He is accused of being one of the two masked teens who carried out the deadly attack on September 9 at 44 Market Street in Manhattan.
Police say Bell was silent as detectives led him out of the stationhouse. He was arraigned later that day and sent to Rikers Island, one of New York’s main jails.
Deadly Attack in Family’s Apartment Building
The terrifying crime happened around 11 p.m. when the two suspects followed Shen Yan, 61, into the elevator of his building. Wearing ski masks and carrying a gun, they robbed him of his Samsung phone and $100 in cash.
As the elevator opened on the 8th floor, Shen saw his 32-year-old son, Lin Rong Yan, and warned him to stay back because the attackers had a gun. Lin tried to help but was hit in the face with the pistol, which fractured his nose and facial bones.
Mother Steps In and Is Killed
Hearing the commotion, Ying Zhu Liu came out of the apartment to help her family. One of the robbers raised the gun and fired at her from just three feet away, shooting her in the face. She collapsed to the floor, bleeding from her mouth and head. Sadly, Liu was pronounced dead at the scene.
She was remembered as a hardworking home health aide and loving mother who died while protecting her family.
Suspects Have Violent Pasts
Bell had already been arrested in August 2023 for robbery. After his arrest in this case, a police source described him as someone with no remorse.
The first suspect, 16-year-old Dante Schaller, was arrested 10 days after the murder. He is being charged as an adult due to the seriousness of the crime. Reports also say he had an open felony case for attacking a police officer before the shooting.