New York: A knife attack in the heart of New York City’s Times Square left one person dead and another injured on Monday afternoon, after a woman allegedly stabbed two people before being shot by police following a tense confrontation.
The incident took place at around 4:30 pm local time in the busy tourist district, where large crowds of visitors, commuters and families were present. Police said the two stabbings happened within roughly 20 seconds of each other, triggering a rapid response from officers in the area.
NEW YORK: Police shot a suspected attacker following a stabbing in Times Square pic.twitter.com/GHT2q3LINK
— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) August 31, 2026
According to the New York City Police Department, the suspect was identified as 49-year-old Pamela Cisneros. Authorities said she attacked a 32-year-old woman and a 68-year-old man, with both victims suffering stab wounds to the abdomen.
The younger victim was rushed to a hospital but later succumbed to her injuries. The 68-year-old man was initially listed in critical condition before his condition was upgraded to stable, police said.
Following the attack, Cisneros reportedly attempted to leave the area but was stopped near an NYPD substation. Officers said she was carrying two knives and refused repeated instructions to put them down.
Footage shared online showed the woman, dressed in a pink shirt and jeans, confronting multiple police officers while holding the weapons. Officers spent several minutes trying to persuade her to surrender.
Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said the suspect made threatening statements during the standoff. Officers also used Tasers in an effort to restrain her, but the devices failed to stop her, according to authorities.
Police said Cisneros removed the Taser devices and continued moving towards officers while allegedly waving the knives. Officers subsequently fired their weapons, hitting the suspect.
She was transported to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Motive Remains Unclear
The attack was initially described as a possible robbery involving a knife. However, investigators later said there was no clear indication of a motive and that the violence appeared to have been random and unprovoked.
Authorities have not indicated that the incident was connected to terrorism. Investigators are continuing to examine the circumstances surrounding the stabbings and the events that led to the police shooting.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani confirmed that one of the two victims and the attacker had died following the incident, as authorities continued their investigation into the attack in one of the city’s busiest public spaces.
