Knife-wielding woman kills one in New York's Times Square, shot dead by cops

A knife-wielding woman stabbed two people in the heart of New York City’s Times Square on Monday afternoon, killing one and injuring another, before police shot her dead after a tense four-minute confrontation.The attack unfolded at around 4:30 pm local time near one of the busiest pedestrian areas of the iconic location. Thousands of commuters, tourists and families were in the area when the stabbings occurred within a gap of 20 seconds.According to the New York City Police Department (NYPD), the woman, 49-year-old Pamela Cisneros, stabbed a 32-year-old woman and a 68-year-old man in what authorities described as a random and unprovoked attack.The female victim was stabbed in the abdomen and later died at a hospital. The male victim, who was also stabbed in the abdomen, was initially reported to be in critical condition but was later described as stable, according to police. Videos circulating on social media showed the woman wearing a pink shirt and jeans holding knives while facing several police officers. A crowd of people could be seen nearby as officers confronted her. Several gunshots were heard before she fell to the ground.The woman, whom police described as appearing to be emotionally disturbed, attempted to flee after stabbing the two victims but was confronted by officers near an NYPD substation. She was carrying two knives and refused repeated orders to drop them, officials said. Officers spent about four minutes attempting to get Cisneros to surrender. According to the commissioner, Cisneros told officers, "I'm not dropping anything. I would rather kill both of you. I will kill you."Officers deployed Tasers in an attempt to stop her, but they were ineffective. Authorities said Cisneros removed the devices and continued advancing towards officers while waving the knives.Police then opened fire, striking her. She was taken to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead.#URGENTE | Imgenes captaron a la agresora del atentado en Times Square, Nueva York, portando dos cuchillos y rodeada por agentes del NYPD.La mujer avanzó hacia los policas pese a los intentos de detenerla con tser. Los agentes finalmente abrieron fuego. pic.twitter.com/cJvK28V3U9— @AineNoticias (@Aineonline1) August 31, 2026POLICE SAY NO CLEAR MOTIVEThe incident was initially reported as a knifepoint robbery, but police later said they did not believe the woman had a clear motive. Authorities have not classified the attack as terrorism-related, and the stabbings appear to have been random, according to reports.The NYPD said Cisneros had a documented mental health history and appeared to be emotionally disturbed, while investigators are working to determine what prompted the attack.ZOHRAN MAMDANI ON ATTACKNew York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani addressed the media and confirmed that a woman armed with multiple knives stabbed two people in Times Square before police deployed a Taser and opened fire. Mamdani thanked the NYPD officers who intervened, saying they had prevented the attack from becoming "even worse"."I'm deeply saddened to report that one of the victims has passed away, as has the alleged perpetrator. The second victim is currently in the hospital in stable condition," he said.The mayor also said an internal investigation into the incident would be conducted, as is standard following an officer-involved shooting. Body-worn camera footage from the responding officers will also be released to the public, he said.- EndsPublished By: Devika BhattacharyaPublished On: Sep 1, 2026 06:27 IST