An American woman has died after being
stabbed by an unknown attacker in the restroom of a high-end mall in Abu Dhabi,
the capital of the United Arab Emirates, police said.
Ibolya
Ryan, 47, was taken to the hospital after the attack Monday on Reem Island but
died of her injuries, Abu Dhabi police said.
She
worked as a schoolteacher and had 11-year-old twins who are being cared for by
authorities until their father, the victim's ex-husband, arrives from abroad,
police said. Authorities previously said she was 37. Continue....
Ryan was
stabbed with a sharp tool, later recovered by police, after a fight broke out
in the women's restroom, according to Col. Dr. Rashid Mohammad Borshid, head of
the Criminal Investigation Department of Abu Dhabi Police.
The cause
of the fight remains unknown; the suspect fled the scene immediately after
committing the crime, he said.
Authorities
seek witnesses, clues
Police
have appealed for help tracking down the killer.
"Investigations
are still under way to identify the suspect's identity and gender," a
police statement Tuesday said. "Witnesses reported that the culprit was
fully covered wearing an abaya, black gloves and face cover (niqab)."
The abaya
is a black, full-length gown traditionally worn by local Emirati women. The
suspect was also wearing a hijab, or headscarf.
Embassy
working with UAE authorities
The U.S.
Embassy in Abu Dhabi said it was "working with all the appropriate
authorities to seek further information" about the killing of a U.S.
citizen.
"We
offer our condolences to those affected by this terrible tragedy," a
spokesman said in a statement. "The safety and welfare of U.S. citizens
abroad is one of the Department of State's highest priorities. We stand ready
to provide all possible consular assistance."
The
attack happened at the Boutik Mall on Reem Island, a newly developed area of
Abu Dhabi where many Western expatriates live.
The
embassy had issued a statement, back in October, warning U.S. citizens of an
anonymous Internet post that encouraged attacks against teachers at American
and other international schools.
The
embassy was unaware of any specific, credible threat at that time, but called
on citizens to be vigilant about their personal security.
Video
shows suspect
CCTV
footage released by police shows the suspect, fully covered, walking calmly in
through the parking lot entrance, speaking to security guards, picking up a
paper and disappearing around the corner out of sight.
It then
shows the suspect running to the elevator, followed by others, and getting into
the elevator, before another clip shows the person leaving the mall through the
same parking lot doors.
Violent
crime in the UAE is rare and eyewitnesses have expressed shock at the incident.
"The
Abu Dhabi Police will spare no effort in order to unveil this heinous crime and
bring the culprit to justice," said Borshid.
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