Woman Who Allegedly Killed American in Mall Bathroom Had Other Targets
The shrouded killer who stabbed an American mother of three to death in a shopping mall bathroom this week targeted other people too, police say.
According to police, the woman—referred to as the "Reem Island Ghost" because she was fully covered by an abaya, niqab and gloves—was captured Thursday after allegedly stabbing Ibolya Ryan to death with a butcher knife. It's not clear what motivated the attack, though witnesses say the two were arguing in the bathroom seconds before the stabbing.
According to NBC, authorities say the woman targeted her victims based "on nationality alone and had nothing to do with personal issues."
She hasn't been named, but she's reportedly an Emirati national "in her late 30s."
Police say the woman, also managed to plant a nail-packed bomb at a local doctor's home before she was apprehended. One of the doctor's sons discovered the bomb and police were able to disable it in time.
Newly released video of that scene shows the cloaked suspect walk around while toting a black roller suitcase. Cops say that's when she placed the bomb on the Egypt American doctor's doorstep — a primitive explosive composed of "small gas cylinders, a lighter, glue, and nails to cause maximum injuries when detonated," police said.
Officers also found knives, weapons and bomb making materials, as well as indications she may have had other targets—her blood-stained car reportedly contained "batteries, knives, bleach, a gas canister and walkie-talkies."
She's currently in police custody.