A 49-year-old woman was shot dead by police in Times Square, Manhattan, after a brief stabbing attack that left one victim dead and another injured but stable. The incident occurred just before 4:30 p.m. ET on Monday, while tourists and commuters filled the streets.
According to New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, the suspect, identified as Pamela Cisneros of Queens, was armed with two knives. She first stabbed a 68-year-old man as he exited a subway station with his wife, striking him in the right side of the abdomen. About twenty seconds later she approached a 32-year-old woman and stabbed her in the abdomen; the woman later died at the hospital while the man remained in stable condition. Both attacks were described as random and unprovoked.
Officers who arrived on scene engaged Cisneros for roughly four minutes, urging her to drop the knives. She refused, stating she would rather kill the officers than surrender. After tasers failed to subdue her, two officers discharged their firearms, striking the suspect, who later died at a hospital. Tisch noted Cisneros had a documented mental‑health history with the NYPD but had never been arrested.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani expressed condolences for the victims and praised the officers for preventing a larger tragedy. He confirmed an internal NYPD investigation will proceed, and police have maintained an increased presence in Times Square amid summer events. Authorities have cordoned off several blocks, and travelers were warned of possible delays as the investigation continues.
