A woman armed with two knives stabbed two people — one fatally — in Times Square Monday afternoon in what appeared to be random, unprovoked attacks before she was shot and killed by New York City police officers, authorities said.
"I'm deeply saddened to report that one of the victims has passed away, as has the alleged perpetrator," New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said during an evening news conference
.Here's what we know about the stabbings and the subsequent police shooting.
Two people stabbed in Times Square
New York Police Department Commissioner Jessica Tisch said the two stabbings occurred within about 20 seconds and appeared to be "random" and "unprovoked."
Officers were called to Times Square just before 4:25 p.m. Monday, Aug. 31, following multiple 911 calls reporting
that a woman armed with two knives was stabbing people along Seventh Avenue, Tisch said.
According to police, the woman was identified as Pamela Cisneros, 49, of Queens.
Stabbings happened within 20 seconds
A witness told police that a woman removed two knives from a red Target bag before approaching a 68-year-old man who had just exited a subway station, Tisch said.
Cisneros allegedly approached the man, who was standing with his wife near West 41st Street and Seventh Avenue while waiting to cross the street. Police said she stabbed him on the right side of his abdomen.
Moments later, police said, Cisneros continued north on Seventh Avenue toward West 42nd Street, where she allegedly stabbed a woman in the abdomen.
Both victims were taken to Bellevue Hospital for treatment, Tisch said. The woman died from her injuries, while the man remained hospitalized Monday night in stable condition.
Police had not released the names of the victims pending notification of their families.
Police shoot woman after she allegedly refused to drop knives
Tisch described the incident as an "unprovoked double stabbing."
She said Cisneros had a documented mental health history with the NYPD, including incidents in 2018 and 2019, but had not been arrested in connection with those incidents.
Witnesses flagged down police officers, who encountered Cisneros on Seventh Avenue between West 42nd and West 43rd streets, according to police.
Officers spoke with her for about four minutes and repeatedly ordered her to drop the knives, Tisch said. She refused.
During the encounter, Cisneros told officers, "I'm not dropping anything. I would rather kill both of you." She also repeatedly said, "I will kill you," according to Tisch.
Multiple officers deployed Tasers as Cisneros approached them with the knives in her hands, but the Tasers were ineffective, Tisch said.
Two officers then fired their service weapons, striking Cisneros, according to police.
Cisneros was taken to Bellevue Hospital, where she died.
Police later recovered both knives at the scene.
What's next in the investigation?
Mamdani said the shooting was captured on officers' body-worn cameras. The footage will be released publicly following standard procedures.
An internal investigation and review of the body-camera footage are underway.
Contributing: USA Today Network
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Times Square stabbing leaves 1 dead, 1 wounded; suspect fatally shot by NYPD
