NYPD Fatally Shoots Knife-Wielding Woman After Two Stabbings in Times Square
A woman stabbed two people in Times Square before being shot dead by police after refusing commands to drop her knives. One victim died; the suspect had a documented history of mental illness.
Rampage in Times Square: Woman Stabbed Two, Then Killed by Police
Pamela Cisneros, 49, of Queens, was shot and killed by NYPD officers in Times Square on Monday after stabbing two people in an unprovoked attack and then advancing on police wielding two knives, the department said. One of her stabbing victims, a 32-year-old woman, died from her injuries.
According to NY Post Metro, the incident unfolded in roughly 20 minutes, beginning just before 4:30 p.m. near West 41st Street and Seventh Avenue — one of the busiest pedestrian corridors in New York City.
Two Victims Stabbed Within Seconds
Cisneros pulled two knives from a red Target bag and stabbed a 68-year-old man in the abdomen as he exited the subway on West 41st Street and was waiting to cross the street, NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said at a press conference Monday night. Within 20 seconds, Cisneros continued up to 42nd Street and fatally stabbed a 32-year-old woman in the abdomen in what Tisch described as an "unprovoked attack."
Officers located Cisneros a block away, behind an NYPD substation, where she was waving the two knives at them.
Four Minutes of Commands, Then Tasers, Then Gunfire
Cops spent four minutes speaking with Cisneros and issued "numerous commands" to drop the weapons. She refused.
"I'm not dropping anything, I would rather kill both of you. I will kill you," Cisneros told officers during the confrontation, according to Tisch.
Officers deployed several tasers, which "proved to be ineffective," Tisch said. Cisneros continued charging toward them. Two officers then opened fire. She was struck and later pronounced dead at Bellevue Hospital. The encounter was captured on police body cameras, and an internal investigation is underway.
Panic Spreads Through the Crossroads of the World
The shooting sent tourists, commuters, and workers fleeing in all directions. Multiple videos posted to social media showed Cisneros — wearing a pink shirt, jeans, and a crossbody purse — flailing the knives in front of officers and a large crowd of onlookers before being shot.
"As I'm coming out of the building, I see people running west. I was like, what the hell is going on?," a delivery worker in the area recalled.
Another worker described noticing a victim on the ground after seeing the crowds flee: "It was a man… he was lying on the floor and there was blood on him. The police were tending to him."
Hassan Abdallah, 41, who operates a fruit cart on 41st Street and Seventh Avenue, said he heard screaming before stepping outside to find an injured man.
"I saw an old guy, like 60, Asian. He was standing, holding his back," Abdallah said. "He got stabbed. His wife was trying to stop the bleeding. She was using a book or some paper, then someone gave her a scarf. I gave him a paper towel."
Suspect Had Documented Mental Illness History
Cisneros had a known history of mental illness on file with the NYPD, with documented incidents in 2018 and 2019. She had no previous arrests, Tisch said. The incident is not believed to be terrorism-related, and a motive has not yet been established.
"This was an extraordinarily dangerous situation unfolding in the heart of Times Square," Tisch told reporters. "Our officers were confronted with a rapidly evolving threat with countless innocent people around them. In that moment, they did what we trained them to do."
Mayor and Times Square Alliance Respond
Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who appeared alongside Tisch at the press conference, said the entire city's thoughts were with the victims' families.
"We know those families' lives have been shattered by what took place today, and we will continue to hold them close as the hours and days and weeks continue from this moment," Mamdani said. He also praised the officers' response, saying they acted swiftly to prevent further harm.
Tom Harris, President of the Times Square Alliance, echoed that sentiment in a written statement: "Our hearts go out to the victims and their families at this time. We are thankful that once again the NYPD was swift to act and put themselves in harm's way to stop the perpetrator before more were injured."
The two knives used in the attack were recovered at the scene.
Source: NY Post Metro