Police shoot and kill knife-wielding woman in Times Square after fatal stabbing
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Woman fatally stabs one, wounds another in Times Square before police shoot her dead
ContinuationPolice shoot and kill knife-wielding woman in Times Square after fatal stabbing
A 49-year-old woman armed with two knives stabbed two people in Times Square on Monday, killing one, before police shot and killed her following a standoff, officials said.
Pamela Cisneros, a Queens resident, pulled two knives from a shopping bag and stabbed a 68-year-old man in the abdomen just before 4:30 p.m. ET near the 41st Street subway station, according to New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch. Seconds later, Cisneros stabbed a 32-year-old woman in the abdomen, Tisch said at a Monday night press conference. Both attacks appeared “random and unprovoked,” she added.
Witnesses alerted NYPD officers, who confronted Cisneros behind a police substation near One Times Square. For four minutes, officers demanded she drop the knives, but she refused, Tisch said. Cisneros told police, “I’m not dropping anything, I would rather kill both of you,” according to Tisch. Officers deployed Tasers, which failed to stop her, and she continued advancing toward them while waving the knives. Two officers then opened fire, striking Cisneros, who later died at Bellevue Hospital.
The 32-year-old woman also died at the hospital, while the 68-year-old man was in stable condition as of Monday night. The identities of the victims have not been released, pending family notification.
Tisch said Cisneros had a documented mental health history with the NYPD, including incidents in 2018 and 2019, but no prior arrests. Authorities recovered the knives and ruled out terrorism as a motive.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani said at the press conference, “I ask New Yorkers to join me in holding the victim in our thoughts and wishing them a full recovery.” He added that an internal investigation would review the officers’ actions, and body camera footage would be released to the public.
The attack and shooting unfolded in one of the busiest pedestrian areas in the world, where thousands of commuters, tourists, and families were present, Tisch said. Videos posted on social media showed Cisneros, wearing a pink shirt and jeans, brandishing the knives before officers fired. The scene was cordoned off, and nearby streets were closed to traffic as police investigated.
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