Sunset Park hammer attack: Heartbroken dad pays tribute to wife Zhao Zhao, 43, ‘killed by her roommate Liyong Le in hammer attack’ and their kids, aged 5 and 3, left fighting for their lives: Suspect fought with victim over use of shared kitchen and Wi-Fi

The widower of the mother who was beaten to death in her New York apartment while he was away has paid emotional tribute to her and called on their seriously injured children to persevere.

Zhao Zhao, 43, was found dead by police Wednesday afternoon after being called into reports of an assault at the Brooklyn home she shared with her children, ages five and three.

Police have arrested and charged one of Zhao’s tenants, Liyong Le, 47, who lived in the overcrowded apartment with his nine-year-old son.

Neighbors said the children’s father worked at a diner in Ohio, returned home every month, and was not home when the attack happened.

But he paid tribute on the social network WeChat when he returned to see his children in the hospital.

“My dear wife, I owe you an apology,” he wrote.

“I hope you can bless our child to get through this difficult time. My children, Daddy hopes you get through this.’

Le was taken under guard at Maimionides Midwood Community Hospital after police found him covered in blood outside the woman’s apartment in Brooklyn’s Sunset Park neighborhood.

Patrol chief John Chell described the attack as “brutal” and said the children are “fighting for their lives.”

“I think I can speak for all New Yorkers if I can say: Our community, our prayers are with this family right now,” he added.

Le lived with his nine-year-old son in a room he sublet from Zhao in the 52nd Street apartment, and neighbors reported hearing a series of loud arguments in recent weeks.

Restaurant clerk Louis Lin, 33, said he was terrified when police arrived and saw the hallway “covered in blood.”

He said the two children were five-year-old David and three-year-old Yaya, who had many young friends in the building.

They were “just so sweet,” he told the paper New York Times.

“How can this be?”

Zhao’s husband, who worked at a restaurant in Ohio, is said to be on his way to New York’s Langone Hospital, where his children are in intensive care.

Police said they had been called because of reports of an attack on the second-floor apartment, which was also sublet to another tenant just before 3pm on Wednesday.

When police arrived, they were filmed by a neighbor holding the bodies of the seriously injured children.

“I don’t think we should wait,” one said to the other.

‘To go! To go!’ his colleague responded before they both ran to the stairs with the kids.

Senator Iwen Chu said the victims and suspect were originally from China’s Fujian province and Le’s infant son likely witnessed the attack.

Sen Chu said that after the murder, Le called the third roommate and told him, “Come pick up my son.”

“It’s just sad from every angle,” he added.

“My office will be in close contact with the police and see how we can handle this to help the family of the victim and the son of the perpetrator.”

Chief Chell said a hammer was recovered from the scene, condemning a “heinous and senseless act of violence that claimed the life of a married mother of two.”

“I can describe it to you as a small apartment,” he told reporters.

“Three rooms occupied by three separate families, tight spaces if you will.

“I don’t know what the dispute was about, but we’ll work it out.”

Le, who has no criminal record in New York, has been charged with murder, two counts of attempted murder, assault and criminal possession of a weapon.

“We all need to pray for these young children,” said New York State Representative Lester Chang.

“This kind of violence is very rare in our community.

These two young children are fighting for their lives. And I can only imagine what the father must be going through.’