A retired NYPD detective and taser expert has outlined several factors that likely contributed to the ineffectiveness of tasers used against Pamela Cisneros, the woman who fatally stabbed one person and injured another in Times Square on Monday. Artur Sadowski, a former NYPD detective and taser expert, told The Post that Cisneros's body fat, erratic movements, and her purse likely prevented the electroshock weapons from incapacitating her.
Sadowski explained that tasers require both probes to make solid contact with muscle to achieve neuromuscular incapacitation, a temporary loss of muscle control. He noted that the distance between the officers and the "jostling stabber" made solid contact difficult. "The thicker the padding in front of the muscles, the more difficult it is for the taser to get to the muscles and be effective," Sadowski said.
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In at least one instance, one of the taser probes appeared to strike Cisneros's purse, which was wrapped around her body. This prevented the electrical circuit from connecting and incapacitating her. Sadowski, who authored the NYPD's taser training playbook, stated that even when probes make contact, factors like thick clothing or body fat can limit the electrical effect. He suggested that areas like the back and the back of the legs are more effective targets due to less fatty tissue.
"She may have felt pain or muscle cramping in her abdomen but not enough to stop her from advancing," Sadowski said. Reports indicate that at least three tasers were deployed in rapid succession, with a possible fourth fired just before Cisneros was fatally shot by police.
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The incident occurred near West 41st Street and Seventh Avenue. Video footage showed Cisneros, who reportedly struggled with mental health issues, holding two knives and ignoring police commands to drop them. She was tased as she began to swing the knives wildly before charging at officers, leading to the fatal shooting.
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Cisneros died from her gunshot wounds at Bellevue Hospital. Her victims included Erin Piacenti, a 32-year-old Bank of America executive and graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and Fordham Law, who died from her injuries. The second victim, a 68-year-old man, was stabbed in the abdomen.