Times Square Attack: Two Fatalities After Stabbing, Police Intervention

A tragic incident unfolded in New York's bustling Times Square on Monday, resulting in two fatalities after a woman initiated a stabbing attack and was subsequently shot by police. Mayor Zohran Mamdani confirmed the deaths during a press conference, adding that a second victim of the stabbing was hospitalized in stable condition.

The assailant, identified as Pamela Cisneros, a 49-year-old resident of Queens with a documented history of mental health challenges, reportedly brandished two large knives. According to New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, Cisneros retrieved the weapons from a bag bearing a well-known supermarket logo before proceeding to threaten passersby in broad daylight.

The attack began when Cisneros approached a 68-year-old man, stabbing him in the abdomen. Approximately twenty seconds later, she targeted a 32-year-old woman, also inflicting an abdominal stab wound from which the woman later succumbed. The identities of the victims are currently being withheld pending notification of their families.

Police officers swiftly intervened, attempting to de-escalate the situation by ordering Cisneros to drop her weapons. Commissioner Tisch detailed the confrontation, stating, “The officers engaged the woman in dialogue for four minutes and gave her numerous commands to drop the knives, which she refused.” Tisch further quoted Cisneros’ defiant response to the officers: “I’m not dropping anything. I would rather kill both of you.”

A witness, speaking to local TV outlet PIX11, recounted seeing the suspect with two knives, being tased by police, and then rushing at the officers before they fired twice. Police confirmed that they had deployed a stun gun unsuccessfully prior to using their handguns. Local news reports indicated that Cisneros was pronounced dead at the hospital.

Commissioner Tisch emphasized that authorities do not believe the attack was terror-related. She underscored the gravity of the situation, describing it as “an extraordinarily dangerous situation unfolding in the heart of Times Square, the crossroads of the world,” noting the presence of “thousands of New Yorkers, commuters, tourists, families, workers moving through these streets” at any given moment. An AFP journalist observed a significant emergency services presence at the scene, with officials examining a patch of blood in Times Square.