911 Caller Killed by NYPD After 10-Inch Kitchen Knife Lunge Had Been Mad About Pain Pills, Boyfriend Says

What to Know

A 54-year-old woman called 911 to report an intruder, then followed responding cops into the house and lunged with a knife, NYPD says
She ignored instructions to put the knife down, and was shot three times, according to NYPD; she was pronounced dead at the scene
There was never another intruder in the home, police said

The 54-year-old woman shot and killed by police when she allegedly lunged at them with a 10-inch kitchen knife as they responded to a 911 call that she placed Monday night had been upset earlier in the day about a painkiller prescription a pharmacist declined to fill, her boyfriend tells News 4.

Ed Rogers, the boyfriend of Susan Muller, told News 4 the painkiller prescription was for her knee. It wasn't clear how long she had had the prescription or the nature of the injury that warranted it, nor is it clear whether her earlier frustration had anything to do with the circumstances surrounding her death.

NYPD Chief of Detectives Dermot Shea said late Monday that Muller called 911 around 5:30 p.m. that day to report an intruder inside her Maspeth home.

Two patrol cars responded to the call, staffed with two officers each, Shea said. Muller met the officers in front of her 69th Street home and directed them to the second floor, saying there was a woman in the home armed with a knife or razor. The cops walked into the home to search, and Muller walked in behind them, according to Shea.

Less than a minute later, she lunged at the cops with the 10-inch knife, Shea said. Muller ignored officers' instructions to put the knife down and that's when an officer fired three shots, hitting her in the torso. Shea said the shooting was captured on police body camera.

Shea said it appears there was never an intruder in the home and there have been a "history of calls" to the Queens home, which varied in nature. There was no elaboration on the nature of those various calls.

Muller's boyfriend said he wasn't at the house at the time so he's not sure what happened. He did say he was devastated by her death.

Neighbors on the typically quiet street say they'd often hear loud noises and sounds from the home.

"Usually at night, the woman would yell her husband's name Raymond, hours on end," said Kevin Tang, who lives next door. "My whole family thought they were paranoid, and that they stay quiet 'cause they'd keep us up at night."