Times Square Attack: Woman Stabs Two Strangers, Refuses Police Orders and Is Killed

A woman armed with two knives fatally stabbed one person and wounded another in New York City’s busy Times Square before she was shot and killed by police, authorities said.

The attack happened shortly after 4:20 p.m. Monday, August 31, near West 42nd Street and Seventh Avenue, an area packed with tourists and commuters. Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch described the stabbing as random and unprovoked, saying there was no indication that it was terrorism-related.

The suspect was identified by authorities as 49-year-old Pamela Cisneros of Queens. Police said she had no known prior arrests, although she had a history of mental-health-related incidents.

According to police, Cisneros pulled two large kitchen knives from a shopping bag and attacked a 68-year-old man near West 41st Street and Seventh Avenue.

The man was stabbed in the abdomen and taken to hospital. He was initially described as being in critical condition but later stabilised.

Police said the woman then moved north along Seventh Avenue and, roughly 20 seconds later, attacked a second person; a 32-year-old woman.

The second victim suffered fatal stab wounds and later died in hospital. Authorities have not yet released the victims’ identities pending notification of their families.

After the attacks, Cisneros reportedly fled toward an NYPD substation in the heart of Times Square.

Witnesses alerted officers, who confronted her while she was still holding the knives.

Police said officers repeatedly ordered her to drop the weapons. The confrontation lasted several minutes, with officers attempting to use a Taser to stop her.

According to authorities, the Taser failed to subdue her and she continued advancing toward officers while armed.

Officers then opened fire, striking Cisneros. She was taken to Bellevue Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

The incident is now being investigated by the NYPD, including a review of the officers’ use of deadly force.

Police said body-camera footage captured the confrontation and is expected to form part of the investigation. The department is also examining what led to the stabbing and whether the suspect had any prior connection to either victim.

Authorities have stressed that there is currently no evidence the attack was terrorism-related.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani expressed condolences to the victims and their families while praising officers for responding to what officials described as an extremely dangerous situation in one of the city’s busiest public spaces.

The violence unfolded in one of New York’s most heavily visited areas, where thousands of people can be present at any given time.

The sudden attack and subsequent police shooting caused a significant emergency response, with streets around the scene temporarily cordoned off as investigators collected evidence.

The case also comes amid continuing scrutiny of public safety in Times Square, where previous violent incidents have drawn national attention.

For now, investigators are trying to establish what prompted the apparently random attack and what happened during the minutes between the initial stabbing and the police shooting.

One person is dead, another is recovering from serious injuries, and the woman accused of carrying out the attack is also dead as investigators work to piece together what happened in the middle of one of New York City’s busiest streets.