Maksim Gelman: The 2011 New York City Killing Spree
Background
Maksim Gelman was a 23-year-old Brooklyn resident who carried out a violent killing spree across New York City on February 11 and February 12, 2011. Over approximately 28 hours, Gelman murdered four people, wounded several others, committed multiple carjackings and led police on an extensive manhunt through Brooklyn and Manhattan. The attacks involved repeated stabbings, assaults with vehicles and the theft of several automobiles.
Gelman was born in the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic on May 31, 1987, and later moved to the United States with his family. He lived in the Sheepshead Bay area of Brooklyn and had accumulated a criminal record involving drugs, graffiti and other offenses before the murders. Acquaintances described him as unpredictable, confrontational and increasingly troubled during the period preceding the attacks.
The Murder of Aleksandr Kuznetsov
The violence began shortly after 5:00 a.m. on February 11, 2011, inside the apartment Gelman shared with his mother and his stepfather, Aleksandr Kuznetsov, in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn. Gelman had awakened his mother and demanded to know where his passport was located. He reportedly wanted to take the family's gray 2004 Lexus and leave the country, but his mother refused to give him the keys.
The argument awakened Kuznetsov, who entered the kitchen and confronted Gelman. Gelman seized a kitchen knife and repeatedly stabbed his stepfather. When the knife broke during the attack, he continued using a carving fork. Kuznetsov suffered dozens of wounds and died inside the apartment. Gelman's mother was present but was not physically attacked.
After killing Kuznetsov, Gelman took the keys to the Lexus and fled. As he sped through the neighborhood, he struck a female crossing guard with the vehicle, causing a serious leg injury. The collision marked the beginning of a series of assaults, crashes and carjackings that continued into the following morning.
The Murders of Anna and Yelena Bulchenko
Gelman next went to the home of 56-year-old Anna Bulchenko in the Midwood section of Brooklyn. Anna was the mother of 20-year-old Yelena Bulchenko, a young woman Gelman knew and had reportedly pursued romantically. Friends of Yelena later said she had not been involved in a romantic relationship with him and did not return his interest.
At approximately 10:30 a.m. on February 11, Gelman entered the Bulchenko residence and fatally stabbed Anna. He then left the home but remained in the area, apparently waiting for Yelena to return. Yelena had spent the previous night at a friend's residence and was unaware that her mother had been killed.
Yelena returned during the afternoon and discovered her mother's body. She fled outside and called emergency services. At approximately 4:00 p.m., Gelman returned and encountered Yelena near the residence. When she saw him, she attempted to escape. Gelman chased her down the street, caught her and stabbed her repeatedly in public. Yelena died from her wounds despite efforts to save her.
The murders of Anna and Yelena Bulchenko intensified the citywide search for Gelman. Police released his photograph and information about the stolen Lexus as officers searched transportation centers, highways, apartment buildings and neighborhoods throughout Brooklyn.
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