Woman shot dead after Times Square knife attack leaves one slain

A 32-year-old woman was killed and another person was hospitalized after a double stabbing in Times Square, New York City, on Wednesday afternoon, Mayor Zohran Mamdani said; the suspected attacker and one victim later died at Bellevue Hospital while a second victim remained in stable condition, the mayor added.

NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch described the incident as an unprovoked double stabbing that unfolded within about 20 seconds. Multiple 911 calls at 16:24 local time reported a woman armed with two knives attacking people along Seventh Avenue, according to Tisch.

Police say the assault began near West 41st Street and Seventh Avenue. A witness reported seeing the suspect remove two knives from a red Target bag before stabbing a 68-year-old man in the right side of his abdomen; that man was taken to Bellevue Hospital and is now stable.

The suspect moved north toward 42nd Street and stabbed a second victim, a 32-year-old woman, who was later pronounced dead at Bellevue Hospital. Officers confronted the suspect on Seventh Avenue, spoke to her for about four minutes and attempted Tasers, which were ineffective, Tisch said.

NYPD officers then fired at the suspect, who was taken to Bellevue Hospital and later pronounced dead. The suspect was identified as 49-year-old Pamela Cisneros of Queens; Tisch said she had a documented mental health history with the NYPD, including incidents in 2018 and 2019, and had no prior arrests.

Liberal News Analysis: What Does This Development Mean?

The available official details indicate an apparent random, unprovoked attack carried out with two knives in a high-traffic area of Times Square, followed by law enforcement use of nonlethal measures that proved ineffective and resulted in officers discharging their firearms. Authorities provided timelines, locations, victim ages, hospital destinations and preliminary statements about the suspect’s prior mental-health contacts with police.

Quick Glance: What You Need to Know

• 32-year-old female victim was killed and taken to Bellevue Hospital where she was later pronounced dead.
• 68-year-old male victim stabbed and hospitalized; reported to be in stable condition at Bellevue Hospital.
• Suspect, identified as 49-year-old Pamela Cisneros of Queens, shot by NYPD officers and later died at Bellevue Hospital; had documented mental health contacts with NYPD in 2018 and 2019.

Kaynak: BBC