Police: Cleaver-wielding man kills psychologist

The slaying unnerved residents in the affluent neighborhood.

Linda Elliott, a resident of the building where the attack occurred, said, "Everyone in the building is very nervous, because we know that this person is loose. It's very frightening."

Serious attacks by patients on their mental health providers are rare, but they do happen, although usually in institutions that see more seriously ill patients.

A psychiatrist in Omaha died from head injuries in August, several days after a patient with a grudge and a history of violence attacked him as he arrived at a medical center.

It is common for therapists who see patients in their homes or private offices to install alarm systems, or even help buzzers, in the event that a patient starts to lose control. In Manhattan, those safety systems are often complemented by the usual security systems for office buildings, which include doormen and video cameras.

"Safety is always a concern," Brennan said. She added that therapists are thoroughly trained in how to assess a patient's potential for violence, and would normally see patients in a private setting only if they had determined that the safety risk was low.

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