NYPD Officers Fatally Shoot Knife-Wielding Woman After She Stabs Two People at Times Square

New York City police fatally shot a 49-year-old Queens woman on Monday after she launched a random knife attack in Times Square, leaving one woman dead and a man injured.

Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch described the stabbings as "random and unprovoked" acts carried out by the suspect, identified as Pamela Cisneros, who had a documented history of mental health problems.

Armed with two knives, Cisneros first approached a 68-year-old man in Times Square and stabbed him in the abdomen. Moments later, she reportedly plunged a knife into a woman's stomach.

Standoff and Deadly Escalation in Times Square

Police officers confronted Cisneros shortly after the attack and tried to reason with her for roughly four minutes, urging her to drop the weapons.

According to Commissioner Tisch, who reviewed body camera footage of the standoff, Cisneros refused to comply, telling officers: "I’m not dropping anything, I would rather kill both of you".

When multiple officers attempted to subdue Cisneros using stun guns, she continued advancing towards them with the knives raised. Two officers then fired their service weapons, striking her.

All three individuals were rushed to Bellevue Hospital. Cisneros and the female stabbing victim were pronounced dead on arrival, while the male victim remains in a stable condition.

Both Commissioner Tisch and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani reportedly defended the police response, though an official inquiry into the officer-involved shooting has been opened in line with standard protocol.

"I want to thank the NYPD officers who stepped in and prevented a horrific attack from becoming even worse," Mayor Mamdani said.