Times Square Stabbing Kills Woman, Suspect Shot Dead by NYPD
A 49-year-old Queens woman randomly stabbed two people near One Times Square Monday, killing a 32-year-old woman, before officers fatally shot her.
Woman Stabs Two in Times Square, Fatally Shot by Officers
A 49-year-old woman from Queens stabbed two strangers at random in Manhattan's Times Square on Monday afternoon, killing one, before being shot and killed by police, ABC News US reports.
The attack occurred just before 4:30 p.m. alongside an NYPD substation adjacent to One Times Square — the building that hosts the city's annual New Year's Eve ball drop and one of the most heavily policed locations in New York City.
According to Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, the suspect pulled two knives from a shopping bag and stabbed a 68-year-old man in the abdomen as he emerged from a nearby subway station and waited to cross the street with his wife. Seconds later, she stabbed a 32-year-old woman, also in the abdomen. Both victims were transported to hospital; the woman died from her injuries, while the man remains in stable condition.
Police have not disclosed whether the victims were city residents or tourists.
Officers Attempted to De-escalate Before Opening Fire
Bystander videos posted to social media show at least ten officers surrounding the suspect, who was visibly holding two large kitchen knives. Tisch said officers spent several minutes attempting to persuade her to disarm before deploying a Taser.
The woman refused to comply. "I'm not dropping anything, I would rather kill both of you," she told officers, according to Tisch. Footage shows the Taser failing to incapacitate her; she continued advancing toward officers with the knives raised.
Two officers then opened fire. Video shows her fall to the ground, where she was handcuffed and officers rendered first aid. She died from her wounds.
Tisch described the scene as "an extraordinarily dangerous situation unfolding in the heart of Times Square, the crossroads of the world."
Mental Health History on Record with NYPD
The suspect had a "documented mental health history with the NYPD," Tisch said, citing prior incidents recorded in 2018 and 2019. She had no arrest history with the department. Tisch offered no further details about those prior contacts.
Police are investigating and said there is no evidence the attack was terrorism-related. The identities of the victims have not been released, pending notification of next of kin.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani expressed condolences to the victims' families. "We know that 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," he said. Both Mamdani and Tisch credited the responding officers, stating that more lives could have been lost without their intervention.
The NYPD temporarily closed a section of 7th Avenue and cordoned off the surrounding area with police tape while investigators worked the scene.
Second Times Square Killing This Year
The incident is the second fatal stabbing in Times Square in 2025. A man was killed in the same area in May.
The broader picture for New York City crime remains one of improvement: homicides are down 24% so far this year and are on pace to potentially reach their lowest level in decades, according to police figures.
Source: ABC News US