Witnesses: Daughter accused of stabbing mother screamed ‘I can't take it anymore’

Police arrived at the Preston Creekside condominium complex, off Morrisville-Carpenter Road, shortly before 7 p.m. Saturday.

Neighbors called 911 after allegedly seeing Aishnakya Santhanakrishnan, 28, chasing her mother and stabbing her repeatedly with a knife outside her condo.

Officers told Santhanakrishnan to drop the knife, but when she did not, they shot her, officials said. She died after being transported to WakeMed.

“He gave a verbal command, 'drop the knife, drop the knife.' She did not. She continued to slash and stab her mother and the officer in turn fired his weapon,” Morrisville Police Chief Ira Jones said.

Her mother, Rajalakshni Cannipuphur, 58, suffered 15 to 18 lacerations on her back and chest, police said. She was listed in stable condition Sunday at WakeMed.

“Nobody gets into this business to kill anybody. That's something that we hope we never do ... never have to draw weapons. However, that's part of the job,” Jones said.

Police said the daughter worked at Duke University as a researcher. Her parents were visiting from India.

The officer who shot the daughter is on paid administrative leave as the State Bureau of Investigation reviews the incident.